Sophia: Allergan is opening a new ophthalmology R&D centre
The French subsidiary owned by the American pharmaceutical company is growing on the science park. It will host 80 researchers in a new centre under construction at the end of the year.
Allergan France is growing at Sophia Antipolis. This French subsidiary owned by an American pharmaceutical company specialized in ophthalmology is about to end the construction of an ophthalmology research and development centre. This centre extends on 4,000 square metres and is located by the current laboratories of the zone of Font de l'Orme in Mougins. It should open at the end of the year and should host 80 researchers. The number of researchers should reach 120 within the year 2002.According to the CEO of Allergan France, Mir Nezam, this new R&D centre should be the largest ophthalmology centre within Europe. It will be inaugurated in February, with the presence of Bernard Kouchner, the Health minister. The investment reaches 7 million euros (45 million francs).Allergan's laboratories set up on the science park of Sophia in 1992. This site was selected because of the technologic and scientific environment as well as the international character of the park. At the moment, 128 employees are working on two sites: on one hand, the General Department of the laboratory, the Marketing and Sales Department, the scientific Department; on the other hand, the European research and development centre directly involved throughout all Europe.This European centre is dedicated to clinical and pharmaceutical research. Thus, the overall clinical studies for new Allergan products are carried out from France, with an important involvement of French specialists and particularly ophthalmologists. Allergan France, with the sales strength, gathers 216 people and has a turnover of 81.2 million euros (532 million francs). The establishment of the new R&D centre should give more importance to the French subsidiary and its European activities. The new centre arrives to reinforce a health pole in rebirth at Sophia.
