Cover of higher education & research in France, facts and figures

📄 Source:MENESR-DGESIP/DGRI-SIES.

 Coverage:Whole of France.

The data presented here are taken from the annual survey of 11,000 firms on resources devoted to R&D. Since 2000, this survey has asked firms what proportion (%) of their intramural R&D expenditure they devote to biotechnology.

Active biotechnology firms are those that devote a proportion of their R&D expenditure to biotechnology research.

Dedicated biotechnology firms are those that devote at least 75% of their R&D expenditure to biotechnology research.

A research branch is a branch of economic activity that benefits from R&D. 32 categories are described here, based on the second version of the French classification of activities (Nomenclature d’activités française – NAF).

The ‘Professional, scientific and technical activities’ research branch primarily covers R&D activities, as well as engineering services.

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41 business R&D in biotechnology

This page has been updated. Read 41. business R&D in biotechnology in Higher education & research in France, facts and figures 10th edition - June 2017

Intramural business enterprise expenditure on R&D (BERD) in the field of biotechnology totalled €2.7 billion, accounting for around 9% of BERD. This proportion has remained stable since 2006. The proportion of firms active in this field of research increased by one percentage point in one year to 11% in 2012. Firms that specialise in biotechnology are mostly small enterprises.

In 2012, firms spent a total of €2.7 billion on R&D in biotechnology, equivalent to 9% of total business enterprise expenditure on R&D within France (table 41.01 and chart 41.02). This proportion remained stable between 2011 and 2012. In terms of the number of firms, 11% of all firms carrying out R&D in France had some involvement in this field (one percentage point more than in 2011).

Active biotechnology firms devoted on average €1.4 million to R&D in this field, equivalent to 57% of their intramural R&D expenditure.

In addition to this targeted expenditure, active biotechnology firms also made a significant contribution to other fields of research, investing a total of €2.1 billion in 2012.

Two thirds of active biotechnology firms are dedicated, in other words they devote at least 75% of their intramural expenditure on R&D to it. Dedicated biotechnology firms spent nine tenths of all expenditure in biotechnology within France, representing a total of €2.5 billion in investment. In practice, these dedicated firms devoted almost all of their intramural R&D expenditure (98%) to R&D in biotechnology.

R&D in biotechnology is carried out by small companies (chart 41.03): 58% of active biotechnology firms and nearly 66% of dedicated firms employed fewer than 20 people. Small firms became more predominant in comparison with the previous financial year. By contrast, overall, only half of all firms that carry out R&D fell within this category of having fewer than 20 employees. Conversely, the ‘250 or more employees’ category included only 5% of all dedicated biotechnology firms, as compared with 10% of active firms and 10% of all companies that carry out R&D.

The average number of employees for dedicated firms was less than 80 (74 in 2012), as compared with 153 for active firms and 210 for firms that carry out R&D (table 41.01).

The ‘Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations’ remained the main research branch investing in this field in 2012, accounting for 65% of R&D expenditure in biotechnology (chart 41.04), although this did represent a fall of 3 percentage points in comparison with 2011. By contrast, in terms of the number of firms, this branch only included 11% of active biotechnology firms, as compared with just over 10% in 2011. The ‘Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations’ and ‘Professional, scientific and technical activities’ branches together accounted for more than three quarters (nearly 78%) of all R&D expenditure allocated to the ‘biotechnology’ field. Although the latter group accounted for much less expenditure, it did include a higher proportion of active firms (40% in 2012).

 Coverage:Whole of France.

How to cite this paper :

MONTENACHE Stéphane. Business R&D in biotechnology. In: Higher education & research in France, facts and figures - 49 indicators [online]. KABLA-LANGLOIS Isabelle (dir.). Paris: Ministère de l'Éducation nationale, de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, 2015. 8th ed. Chapter 41, 92-93 [Accessed 03/29/2024]. ISBN 978-2-11-139433-9. https://publication.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/eesr/8EN/EESR8EN_R_41-business_r_d_in_biotechnology.php

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The data presented here are taken from the annual survey of 11,000 firms on resources devoted to R&D. Since 2000, this survey has asked firms what proportion (%) of their intramural R&D expenditure they devote to biotechnology.

Active biotechnology firms are those that devote a proportion of their R&D expenditure to biotechnology research.

Dedicated biotechnology firms are those that devote at least 75% of their R&D expenditure to biotechnology research.

A research branch is a branch of economic activity that benefits from R&D. 32 categories are described here, based on the second version of the French classification of activities (Nomenclature d’activités française – NAF).

The ‘Professional, scientific and technical activities’ research branch primarily covers R&D activities, as well as engineering services.

 

Key figures


Share of business enterprises working in biotechnology
11%
 
2012
Whole of France
 
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Extract from the chapter "41. business R&D in biotechnology".

Coverage: rapportée aux entreprises actives en R&D
Source: MENESR-DGESIP/DGRI-SIES
Share of business enterprises specialising in biotechnology
7.3%
 
2012
Whole of France
 
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Extract from the chapter "41. business R&D in biotechnology".

Coverage: rapportée aux entreprises actives en R&D
Source: MENESR-DGESIP/DGRI-SIES
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D in biotechnology
2,700 M
 
2012
Whole of France
 
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Extract from the chapter "41. business R&D in biotechnology".

Source: MENESR-DGESIP/DGRI-SIES

41.01 Data on business R&D in biotechnology in 2012

 
Firms carrying out R&D in-house
All firms Active biotechnology firms Dedicated biotechnology firms
% of all firms carrying out R&D (number of firms) 100.0 11.0 7.3
% of all firms carrying out R&D (number of employees - headcount) 100.0 8.0 2.6
Average number of employees (per firm) 210.0 153.0 74.0
GERD
Total (in €M) 30,100 4,800 2,500
Average (per firm in €M) 1.7 2.5 2.0
Average R&D intensity (in €k) 1 22 35 39
GERD devoted to biotechnology
Total (in €M) 2,700 2,700 2,500
Average (per firm in €M) 0.2 1.4 1.9
Proportion of GERD devoted to biotechnology (%) 2 9.1 57.0 98.4
 

1 Average of the ratio (GERD/Number of employees).
2 All figures for GERD are rounded off to the nearest €100 million. However, the ratios are calculated using non-rounded data.

 Coverage: Whole of France.

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41.02 Biotechnology as a proportion of R&D since 2000 (%)

  
number of firms
R&D expenditure
 
 

In 2012, firms that carried out R&D in biotechnology accounted for 11.0% of all firms carrying out R&D. Their intramural expenditure on biotechnology R&D accounted for 9.1% of total business enterprise expenditure on R&D.

 Coverage: Whole of France.

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41.03 Breakdown by number of employees of firms carrying out R&D in 2012 (%)

250 or more employees
50-249 employees
20-49 employees
Fewer than 20 employees
  
All firms carrying out R&D
Active biotechnology firms
Dedicated biotechnology firms
 
 
 Coverage: Whole of France.

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41.04 Main research branches of active biotechnology firms in 2012 (%)

Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations
Specialised, scientific and technical activities
Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
Manufacture of food, beverages and tobacco products
Other
  
% of intramural BERD devoted to biotechnology
% of the number of active biotechnology firms
 
 
 Coverage: Whole of France.

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Related statistical publication

 Note d'information DEPP 08.10 - La recherche en biotechnologie des entreprises implantées en France - 2000-2004. - Etienne Pfister - February 2008
Depuis 2000, l'enquête annuelle sur les moyens consacrés à la R et D (Recherche et Développement) dans les entreprises demande la part consacrée aux biotechnologies. Nombre d'entreprises, de salariés, sommes consacrées ; branches d'activités, dépôts de brevets. En encadrés : définitions des biotechnologies et des entreprises de biotechnologie ; sources.

Other editions

Etat de l'enseignement supérieur et de la rechercheHigher education & research in France, facts and figures 10th edition - June 2017
41 - business R&D in biotechnology - Stéphane Montenache
Intramural business enterprise expenditure on R&D (BERD) in the field of biotechnology totalled €3.0 billion in 2014, accounting for around 10% of BERD. The proportion of firms active in this field of research has remained stable compared to 2013, at 11%. Firms that specialise in biotechnology are mostly small enterprises [Consult the following page]
Etat de l'enseignement supérieur et de la rechercheHigher education & research in France, facts and figures 9th edition - November 2016
42 - business R&D in biotechnology - Stéphane Montenache
Intramural business enterprise expenditure on R&D (BERD) in the field of biotechnology totalled €3.0 billion in 2013, accounting for around 10% of BERD. The proportion of firms active in this field of research has remained stable compared to 2012, at 11%. Firms that specialise in biotechnology are mostly small enterprises [Consult the following page]

Translation

 Etat de l'enseignement supérieur et de la rechercheL'état de l'Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche en France n°8 - juin 2015
41 - la R&D en biotechnologie dans les entreprises - Stéphane Montenache
La dépense intérieure de R&D des entreprises (DIRDE) en biotechnologie s’élève à 2,7 milliards d’euros (Md€). Elle représente environ 9 % de la DIRDE, part stable depuis 2006. La proportion d’entreprises actives dans ce domaine d’activité progresse d’un point en un an pour atteindre 11 % en 2012. Les entreprises spécialisées en biotechnologie sont surtout des petites structures [Consult the following page in french]


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