Spain’s Pharma R&D Surges Toward Global Biotech Leadership

R&D investment by the innovative pharmaceutical industry in Spain maintained its growth rate in 2024. This is according to the latest Farmaindustria R&D survey , which estimates growth over the past year exceeding €1.5 billion.

Record €1.5 Billion Investment in 2024 Fuels Clinical Research, Collaboration, and Skilled Employment Growth in Spain

According to data from this annual survey conducted by Farmaindustria among its members, there has been a steady increase in investment in research and development over the past decade, with a particular focus on clinical research, “which has grown by 7% annually and reached €900 million in 2023.”

“The efforts of companies in this area are remarkable and have allowed us to position ourselves as a world leader in clinical trials, one of the main areas from which Spanish patients directly benefit,” said Juan Yermo , CEO of Farmaindustria, on the occasion of World Clinical Trials Day, celebrated this Tuesday, May 20th. This investment effort is one of the main reasons why Spain has managed to become a benchmark in this field.

Another trend in R&D investment by companies in Spain is the increase in projects carried out outside the university, that is, in collaboration with hospitals, universities, and public and private centers. This now accounts for almost 45% of investment and is a fundamental contribution to the biomedical research ecosystem in Spain, as it fosters the improvement of researchers’ qualifications, enables the financial sustainability of centers, and facilitates early patient access to novel treatments.

Regarding the location of the investments, they are distributed across all the autonomous communities, although Madrid and Catalonia account for 56%.

By research phase, after clinical trials, which account for just over 62% of the investment, the second largest allocation of resources is basic research, which accounts for one in every eight euros of R&D.

Historic increase in research staff in Spain

R&D carried out by the pharmaceutical industry is also a driver of skilled employment, which now exceeds 6,000 people in Spain. In fact, compared to 2022, it grew by 9.5%, the largest increase in 20 years. This workforce is also highly qualified, with a 90% percentage of university graduates (bachelors, degrees, and doctorates).

“The pharmaceutical sector in Spain is a major driver of high-quality, qualified, equal, and diverse employment. In the case of research staff, two out of three are women, and nine out of ten are university graduates,” said the Director General of Farmaindustria.

R&D, along with the production and access to new medicines, is one of the pillars of the Spanish Pharmaceutical Industry Strategy, approved by the Government in December 2024. It seeks to make the country a global leader in biopharmaceutical innovation and industrialization, and constitute a major pillar for the future of our country’s healthcare, economic, and social future.

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(Featured image by Ousa Chea via Unsplash)

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First published in diariofarma. A third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

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