Wallonia: A story of biopharma growth

Wallonia, the Francophone southern region of Belgium, has grown into a major European hub for biopharmaceutical research and manufacturing.In a recent conversation with Science Custom Publishing, Ludovic Waha, senior life sciences business developer at the Wallonia Export & Investment Agency (AWEX), discussed some of the advantages that have made Wallonia-and Belgium-an appealing destination for life sciences researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors. How long has Wallonia been prioritizing investments in the biotech and pharma industries?Most countries in Europe decided to strengthen their life sciences industry after COVID.For Belgium and Wallonia, we have been supporting and financing this sector for much longer-about 20 years.Historically, a number of companies, with the support of the government, grew and became major global players, such as GSK, Baxter, and UCB.This success paved the way for new medium-sized and smaller companies and led to the emergence of a genuine, dynamic ecosystem.