ɪt wʌz kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən baɪ ɐ ɡɹˈuːp ʌv fɹˈɛntʃ bˌaɪoʊtɛknˈɑːlədʒi ˌɑːntɹɪpɹənˈʊɹz, ɐmˌʌŋ hˈuːm wʌz ɪts fˈɜːst pɹˈɛzɪdənt pˈæskəl bɹˈændiz.
It was created in 1997 by a group of French biotechnology entrepreneurs, among whom was its first president Pascal Brandys.