The following is an interview with Frédéric Scaerou, Global Head of Business Development at Servier. To learn more about Servier’s approach to innovation and partnerships, join Servier and MassBio on November 4 for the “2025 Servier R&D Day” in the MassBioHub.
What is Servier’s approach to innovation?
Thanks for the question. Servier has a distinctive organizational model – being independent and governed by a foundation – which allows it to prioritize sustainable growth and groundbreaking advancements, rather than being solely driven by short-term profits. Investing in promising innovation with a long-term perspective is therefore fundamental to our approach. Our driving force is the ambition to build a pipeline of breakthrough therapies with the potential to bring transformative clinical benefits to patients with high or unmet medical needs. Our ultimate reward is to deliver as many of these therapies to patients worldwide, leveraging our global reach. To achieve this, we reinvest a significant share of our annual revenue into our R&D capabilities and R&D partnerships. We believe that combining internal capabilities and external innovations is the best way to identify and advance the most promising next-generation therapies. We have a proven record of delivering targeted therapies for rare diseases, exemplified by VORANIGO®, an approved therapy for the treatment of patients with a specific type of IDH-mutated glioma, as well as TIBSOVO®, a monotherapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who have a susceptible IDH1 mutation. Our recent acquisition in neurology further demonstrates our bold approach to innovation as we continue to expand on our oncology expertise by developing a pipeline focused on rare neurological diseases.
Why is Servier working with MassBio to support emerging companies?
We are thrilled to be partnering with MassBio on this event. At Servier, finding promising innovation as well as supporting the innovators is key to our mission. Our collaboration with MassBio reflects our commitment to partnering with institutions that nurture the next generation of biotech and pharmaceutical companies, particularly those focused on our areas of expertise, oncology and neurology, where the need for innovation remains high.
With our U.S. headquarters based in Boston, we are well-positioned to engage with startups and expand our network in one of the world’s most vibrant life sciences ecosystems. Boston’s fantastic ecosystem fosters innovation through its dynamic community of researchers, startups, and academic institutions, providing fertile ground for collaboration and discovery.
Partnering with MassBio provides a unique platform to connect with science-driven teams who share our determination to tackle the challenges of advancing therapeutic innovation. We recognize the complexity of this journey and are grateful for the opportunity to collaborate in overcoming these obstacles together.
This partnership complements our broader efforts to support emerging companies through initiatives like co-founding Spartners, a biotech incubator located in Paris-Saclay that provides workspaces for startups addressing unmet needs, LabCentral in Boston-Cambridge, and SmiLe Venture Hub in the Nordics. Servier has also initiated a collaboration with the California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) to assist early-stage life sciences companies focused on developing innovative solutions in therapeutic areas such as oncology, autoimmune diseases, and genetically driven neurodegenerative and movement disorders.
Which therapeutic or R&D areas does Servier want to partner on? What types of companies does Servier want to partner with?
Partnering is essential to boost our innovation potential and capabilities in both oncology and rare neurology. To build a sustainable pipeline of innovative therapies, addressing the diseases with high unmet needs we are targeting, will only be possible through combining our efforts with some of the smart innovators out there. We will therefore continue to invest in partnerships across all the stages of R&D, from discovery to late clinical.
Since establishing our U.S. presence in 2018, thanks to significant deals, we have experienced rapid growth and success, launching a new oncology medicine every year. In 2025 alone, we have announced four strategic partnerships to advance the evaluation and development of new clinical candidates. In oncology, we recently partnered with IDEAYA Biosciences, a leading precision medicine oncology company, to make darovasertib, a promising treatment for a rare eye cancer, accessible to patients globally. We also partnered with Black Diamond Therapeutics, to commercialize BDTX-4933, an oral cancer therapy for solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer. Additionally, we acquired worldwide rights to BN104, a potential best-in-class precision therapy for AML and ALL, from BioNova Pharmaceuticals. In neurology, we acquired KER-0193, a potential treatment for Fragile X syndrome, from Kaerus Bioscience, which marks our dedication to following our blueprint in oncology by developing a neurology franchise with assets targeting rare indications for patients with high unmet needs.
How does the current administrations actions impact Servier’s activities in the U.S.?
Servier is proud to already research, manufacture, package and distribute medicines here in America. We’re committed to U.S. jobs, U.S. patients, and U.S. science.
You may hear debate about tariffs and local manufacturing. What’s important is that Servier already has a strong U.S. presence – and our investment in labs, packaging, and operations is growing. That means more opportunities for potential partners, and more security for patients.
How will Servier help emerging companies grow their business?
Servier’s journey in the U.S. took a significant step forward with the acquisition of Agios Pharmaceuticals’ oncology business in 2021, where we successfully integrated assets, like TIBSOVO and VORANIGO, into our pipeline as well as welcomed a strong, talented team. This acquisition laid a strong foundation for us, underscoring the importance of partnerships in healthcare innovation. We firmly believe that collaboration is essential to drive advancements in this field.
Our foundation-led governance allows us to maintain a long-term perspective, enabling us to invest strategically in scientific areas that align with our mission to deliver transformative therapies to patients with significant unmet needs. A prime example of this is the integration of VORANIGO into our development pipeline back in 2020. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we advanced VORANIGO through clinical trials and achieved the first approval for a treatment in glioma in over 20 years. The product’s immediate success upon launch underscores our commitment to impactful innovation. We also support early-stage innovators through initiatives like SHINEDocs and our Golden Ticket initiative, which provides lab space, mentorship, and strategic guidance in key biotech hubs. These efforts reflect our dedication to fostering the next generation of breakthrough therapies.
About Frédéric Scaerou
With over 25 years’ experience in the life sciences industry at the crossroads of business and innovation, Frédéric Scaerou has unique experience across academic research start-up, biotech, technology transfer, not-for-profit organizations, and pharma leadership positions. He joined the Oncology Business Development department at Servier in 2019 and currently acts as Head of Global Business Development. His role is to lead the business development activities of the Group worldwide including the identification and evaluation of new opportunities such as acquisitions and in- or out-licensing of assets in our therapeutic areas of focus as well as alliance management and deal execution.