The Oncopole
Its Purpose

The announcement of the creation of the Campus, a unique structure in Europe, fits into a context of national mobilization during which two major programs dedicated to fighting cancer are launched.

• First Cancer Plan (2003 -2007), a presidential project opened in July 2002 with the creation of the National Cancer Institute and the establishment of large categories of measures. The Cancer Plan was followed by a second Plan (2009-2013) and then a third one scheduled for 2014.

• A first wave of national labeling for Competitiveness Centers. Fully consistent with Toulouse and its region in terms of industrial, biotech, academic and scientific quality and culture: The “Cancer Bio Santé” Competitiveness Center is established on the Oncopole site in 2005. It is based on 3 fundamentals : research, teaching and industry. It also supports businesses in :
  1. the development of innovative products, 
  2. the improvement of healthcare to patients
  3. the development of the bio-health economic sector in both Limousin and Midi-Pyrénées regions.

The Oncopole: ambition to take up a challenge

• A medical and ethical ambition: provide better healthcare, sooner, in full respect of human persons and their dignity. Objective: to reduce cancer mortality by surrounding the patient with healthcare and solidarity. The Oncopole is designed for new treatments to emerge and applied as soon as possible at the patient’s bedside by reducing inequalities to treatment access and by respecting the highest ethical standards. Objective: to reduce cancer mortality by surrounding the patient with both healthcare and solidarity.
• Scientific ambition, therapeutic innovation. A scientific ambition: therapeutic innovation. This is the same goal that unites 1,500 public researchers (Inserm, CNRS, academics, University Hospitals, the EFS) and private researchers (Pierre Fabre Laboratories, Sanofi...) located on the Oncopole, based on the "strength is unity" principle.
  1. The joining together of knowledge and diverse business sectors,
  2. The joining together of resources, by sharing technology platforms and facilitate access for all
  3. The joining together of public and private research, the setting up of mixed teams for projects.

  These teams participate in the Grand Sud Ouest Canceropole and are grouped within the Research and Care Thematic Network (RTRS).

• An economic ambition, coordinated by the Toulouse Metropole: the Oncopole aims to promote the transformation of scientific discoveries into new products or new services against the disease.
  How? By initiating and encouraging exchanges and partnerships between companies, scientific, academic and clinical organizations. Six major players are in charge of these actions for recovery and development: the Regional Council of Midi-Pyrénées, the Cancer-Bio-Santé Competitiveness Center, the Technology Transfer Acceleration Society (SATT), Toulouse Tech Transfer, Inserm Transfert, The Pierre Potier Start-up Companies Incubator (Pépinière d’entreprises) and the DIRRECTE.
  More than 4,000 people will work on the site by 2014.
• Territorial ambition: To renovate and restore a devastated site while contributing to the development of Toulouse City. Along with the Oncopole projects, a whole area of the city comes to life again with a strong architectural ambition and the participation of internationally renowned architects: Cardete and Huet, Roger Taillibert, Jean-Paul Viguier...