Hologic inaugurates its new research center in Aix-en-Provence, soon to become the French headquarters

A strong local presence with a new real estate project for its employees

After acquiring the Provencal medical imaging start-up SuperSonic Imagine in 2019, U.S. medical technology company Hologic, a major player in women's health, is opening its innovation center in Aix-en-Provence. This step anchors Hologic's R&D activities in the region as it plans to relocate its headquarters ‒ currently located in Paris ‒ to the region in 2022. The decision was recognized with the "Invest in Provence" label awarded to Antoine Bara, General Manager of Hologic France, which has invested €1 million to develop this new site in Aix.

Hologic is starting a new chapter in the history of SuperSonic Imagine in Provence. Connections with the United States are still central to this start-up founded in 2005 by Jacques Souquet upon his return from California. Assisted by Provence Promotion, which helped the company set up shop in Aix-en-Provence with its Home Sweet Home program, the start-up enjoyed a string of successes, becoming a major player in ultrasound scanning, particularly on the U.S. market. This attracted the interest of the American company Hologic, a major player in women's health with more than 5,800 employees worldwide.

"The technology developed by Supersonic Imagine is fully in line with Hologic's multidisciplinary care pathway offer, which revolves around three themes: screening, diagnosis and treatment. Now we can go further, especially in breast health, and advance our daily goal of improving the health of women around the world," explains Antoine Bara, General Manager of Hologic France.

Ultrasound is used for screening and diagnosis, as well as for treatment with biopsies and for post-treatment monitoring. The integration of an ultrasound offer allows the Hologic group to further enrich its panel of solutions used to treat breast cancer, which remains the most common cancer in women with more than 12,000 deaths each year in France and 700,000 worldwide, as well as prostate cancers and liver diseases such as NASH.

Hologic bets on Aix-en-Provence

Hologic acquired SuperSonic Imagine in 2019 for $39 million and now has big ambitions there.

To give its employees a more convivial environment adapted to new working modes, the group sought to bring all its staff together in a single building. In addition, Hologic decided to build its innovation center in Aix-en-Provence, thus reaffirming the site's R&D role and its roots in the region.

At the Lenfant mixed development zone near its three former buildings, Hologic France has built a new structure to facilitate innovation and accommodate all of Hologic SuperSonic Imagine's employees. A 22,000 sq.ft. rental building co-designed with CMT Groupe.

"We believe in the region's appeal and we want to grow our workforce, unite and nurture our current employees and attract new talent from around the world. We are counting on Provence Promotion to help us with the mobility aspect and we are happy to receive this "Invest in Provence" label for our investment in the region." said Antoine Bara, who plans to transfer Hologic France's Paris headquarters to Aix-en-Provence in 2022.

A €1 million investment

The site is equipped with tools to simulate and optimize the entire production chain and got a boost from a €1 million investment. That commitment is in line with the group's goal to become a major player in the treatment of breast cancer, liver and prostate diseases, and in the future, to potentially address other pathologies.

The Marlborought, Massachusetts-based group already had an exclusive contract to distribute SuperSonic Imagine's innovative breast ultrasound products in the United States. Building on that initial partnership, this grand opening marks a highly strategic turning point.

"Our vision for women's health is ambitious, which amounts to a great opportunity to pursue R&D and propose new innovative solutions. We share the same aspirations to improve targeting, treatment and patient follow-up," concluded Antoine Bara, who christened the site on Thursday, March 24, alongside Jan Verstreken, President of Hologic; Jennifer Meade, Division President, Breast & Skeletal Health Solutions; Tanja Brycker, VP, Strategic Development, International; and Joao Malagueira, Vice President, International (EMEA & CIS).

Several elected officials and economic players were also on hand to celebrate this grand opening, including Mohamed Laqhila, National Assembly Member representing Bouches-du-Rhône, and Laurent Dillinger, Deputy Mayor of Aix-en-Provence, in charge of public health.