Servier: A Global Pharma Leader Deepening Its Oncology Footprint Through Over $4 Billion in Acquisitions Within Three Years

“The most beautiful words in the world are not ‘I love you,’ but ‘Your tumor is benign.’” This quote, attributed to the renowned American director Woody Allen, captures humanity’s deep-seated fear of malignant tumors.

As is well known, malignant tumors are inextricably linked with cancer. According to the latest “Global Cancer Report 2020” released by the World Health Organization, there were 18.1 million new cancer cases and 9.6 million cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2018. Behind this vast population of cancer patients lies a substantial market demand for innovative anti-cancer therapies and drugs.

Undoubtedly, oncology represents the most prominent sector within the pharmaceutical industry. To date, numerous pharmaceutical companies have recognized the promising returns from successful cancer therapies, leading them to deepen their commitment to the development of oncology treatments and drugs while continuously pursuing R&D innovation to address the expanding cancer market.

Global pharmaceutical company Servier is one of them.

Founded in 1954, Servier is an international pharmaceutical company managed by a non-profit foundation, with its headquarters located in Suresnes, west of Paris, France. Servier has a extensive global presence, conducting business in 149 countries and employing more than 22,000 people worldwide.

For many years, the company has been primarily dedicated to five therapeutic areas: cardiovascular diseases, immune-inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and diabetes.

Since entering the oncology field in 2015, Servier has launched six marketed products and maintains 12 clinical R&D projects targeting gastrointestinal and other solid tumors, as well as leukemia and lymphoma, across both solid tumor and hematologic malignancy indications. Over the past two years, Servier has been highly active in the oncology capital markets, continuously expanding its oncology business through acquisitions.

For Servier, 2020 was a year of major triumph. Recently, VCBeat learned that Servier has reached an agreement with U.S. biopharmaceutical company Agios to acquire its oncology business in the clinical research stage for up to $2 billion. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2021. Following the announcement, Agios’ stock price surged more than 26% in pre-market trading to $41.80.

Agios, founded in 2008 and headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, is a biopharmaceutical company. The company is a leader in the field of cellular metabolism, focusing on the research and development of innovative drugs for the treatment of malignant hematologic diseases, cancers, and rare genetic disorders. Currently, Agios not only has a rich product pipeline covering these two therapeutic areas but also has one marketed oncology targeted therapy and multiple first-in-class investigational products in clinical development.

Servier established its presence in the U.S. market in 2018 by founding a U.S. subsidiary. Beyond strengthening Servier’s product portfolio and oncology drug development pipeline, the primary objective of this acquisition is to expand its foothold in the U.S. market.

David K. Lee, CEO of Servier’s U.S. subsidiary, stated: “Agios is a leader in the field of cellular metabolism, with extensive experience in the discovery, development, and commercialization of precision medicines. The acquisition of Agios’ oncology business, including seasoned talent from research, development, technical operations, and commercial functions, will enable us to rapidly expand our U.S. operations into the hematology and malignancies sectors, thereby helping us better serve cancer patients with significant unmet medical needs.”

In expanding its oncology business, Servier completed the acquisition of Danish antibody developer Symphogen in the first half of 2020, bringing Symphogen’s operations in oncology and multiple other therapeutic areas under its umbrella. Additionally, in June 2018, Servier acquired the oncology business of Shire, a multinational biopharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases and other specialty conditions, for up to $2.4 billion.

In Servier’s 2018–2019 Annual Report, one of the four strategic objectives outlined by Servier was to “become a key player in oncology.” Servier’s substantial acquisitions of oncology businesses from major biotechnology companies represent successful steps toward achieving this goal.

Servier’s Oncology Business Acquisition History (Data Source: VCBeat)

Servier is committed to the fight against cancer. The company announced that it allocated 36% of its global R&D budget to cancer therapy research last year, and this proportion will increase to 50% in the new year (2021).

At this stage, Servier has developed dozens of combination anticancer products, primarily targeting hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, and malignant diseases such as gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung cancer.

Servier's Oncology/Cancer Product Portfolio (Source: Servier Official Website)

In early 2019, Servier partnered with the biotechnology company Allogene to pioneer the development of allogeneic CAR-T cancer therapies. The study enrolled 24 patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma, who received treatment with the CAR-T therapy ALLO-501 along with the CD52-targeting monoclonal antibody ALLO-647. The aim of this collaboration was to develop effective cancer therapies that are more accessible to patients at critical stages of their disease.

In November 2020, Servier partnered with the Digestive Cancer Europe (DiCE) association to produce brochures specifically designed for digestive cancer patients and healthcare professionals, aiming to improve the daily lives of those affected by these cancers. Patients were involved in every stage of the conceptualization and creation process for both brochures, from content development to design. Each brochure is available in two versions: one for patients (“MyMood”), which offers numerous practical tips to help patients and their families manage emotions during the course of the disease; and another for healthcare providers (“MyDialogue”), designed to facilitate communication between clinicians and patients, thereby enabling a better understanding of the patient’s condition and the delivery of appropriate treatment plans.

This collaboration represents a successful implementation of the SHAPE initiative launched by Servier in 2018. Initially, the project was dedicated solely to supporting patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Subsequently, given the substantial unmet needs among all patients with digestive system cancers and the similarities in their requirements, the scope of support was expanded to include all patients with digestive system cancers.

Servier’s Brochure for Patients with Digestive Cancers (Image source: Servier official website)

Recently, Servier entered into a strategic partnership with Celsius Therapeutics, a healthcare provider specializing in gene therapy, to identify and validate novel drug targets for colorectal cancer (CRC). Hugues Dolgos, Head of R&D at Servier, stated, “Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and we believe there is an urgent need to develop new treatment options for patients. Through this collaboration, we will leverage Celsius’s single-cell genomics platform, machine learning capabilities, and expertise in target validation to deepen our understanding of CRC, discover new drug targets, and develop novel precision therapies for specific patient populations.”

In late 2016, Servier launched its digital health division, WeHealth, with the aim of improving patients’ daily lives through digital technologies. WeHealth primarily focuses on smart healthcare, intelligent ECG, and cardiovascular AI. Its proposed digital solutions facilitate data collection, accurate diagnosis, treatment monitoring, prevention, and even prediction. Upholding a spirit of open innovation, WeHealth adheres to the principle of “no controlling stakes, no mergers and acquisitions,” seeking win-win collaborations with startups in the pharmaceutical sector to create innovative medical services and R&D equipment.

Servier and its partner Bioserenity have launched Cardioskin, a smart T-shirt. This garment monitors cardiac activity across multiple dimensions and detects abnormalities by recording heart activity over several hours. Through a connected mobile application, patients can log cardiac symptoms, enabling cardiologists to correlate the data collected by the T-shirt with these symptoms to develop treatment plans.

Cardioskin for Cardiovascular Applications (Image source: Servier official website)

Furthermore, Servier has partnered with GAIA, a global pioneer in digital therapeutics, to develop and market the Deprexis system, an online cognitive behavioral therapy solution. This system provides tailored therapeutic support for patients with depression. According to data from the World Health Organization, nearly 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression, and many do not receive the appropriate treatment they need. With the advent of Deprexis, more patients with depression can benefit from personalized treatment solutions.

Deprexis, an e-health solution for depression (Image source: Servier official website)

As a multinational pharmaceutical company managed by a non-profit foundation, Servier became one of the first multinational enterprises to enter China in 1979, at the dawn of the country’s reform and opening-up, establishing its branch in the country—Servier China.

Servier China currently employs over 2,000 professionals, with business operations covering 29 provinces and municipalities across China. As the largest professional team within the global Servier Group, it provides Chinese patients with 14 high-quality innovative medicines. The company’s six regional offices are located in Beijing, Jinan, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Guangzhou, respectively.

Having been rooted in China for 40 years, Servier China has maintained a leading position in the industry in areas such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes patient management, and is currently actively expanding its business in the oncology field. It is reported that Servier China provides therapeutic medications and regimens to 3 million patients daily.

As China’s population continues to age and residents’ lifestyles evolve, chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases remain significant public health challenges. Servier China provides patients with innovative medicines and therapies, contributing to the advancement of China’s “Healthy China 2030” goals.

Mr. Olivier LAUREAU, Global President of Servier, stated: “In line with the philosophy of the Servier Group, Servier China has been committed to responding to and meeting patients’ health needs for the past 40 years. Looking ahead, in this rapidly developing country, we believe Servier China will achieve our goal of strengthening innovation and providing patients with more innovative medicines.”

Servier China Milestones (Source: Servier Official Website)