PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--France Biotech, the professional association for French life science companies and their partners (www.france-biotech.org), has reported a major drop in equity investments in French biotech companies: funding fell by 79% in 2008, relative to 2007 (€143 million in 2008 versus €694 million in 2007). Investment in listed companies collapsed (only €12 million in 2008 - a fall of 98%). Venture capital investments in private companies (€132 million in 2008) fell by 27%. The trend for early 2009 appears to show continued degradation.
