Companies
The 1,400 companies in the BioRegion generate over €23.7 billion in revenue (2022) and employ nearly 70,000 people, with a 23% increase in employment over the past 5 years. Although the pharmaceutical subsector is the smallest in terms of the number of companies, it accounts for nearly half of the private sector revenue. In contrast, the 212 digital health companies represent 2% of the revenue but are the fastest-growing segment, with a 102% increase over the past 5 years. The life sciences and healthcare ecosystem comprises 11% large companies, 15% medium-sized companies, and 74% micro and small enterprises.
Astrazeneca
AstraZeneca is one of the most advanced and integrated biopharmaceutical companies in the world. In Spain, it employs more than 700 people working in cardiovascular, renal and metabolism, respiratory and oncology.
A diverse ecosystem
The largest group of companies in the BioRegion comprises more that 350 biotechnology firms, of which 24% produce new therapies and diagnostic tools, 39% provide R&D services and 34% work on applications in other fields (such as animal health, industrial biotechnology, food and beverages, agriculture and the environment). Plus, the BioRegion has over 210 medical technology companies (58% as their main activity and 42% specialized suppliers and distributors), 126 companies in the pharmaceutical sector (half pharmaceutical corporations and the other half specialized suppliers and distributors), and 212 companies offering digital health products or services. The BioRegion also has nearly 230 professional services and consultancy companies, 194 suppliers and 77 investment companies.
Leaders in exports
862 Catalan companies regularly export life sciences and healthcare products (44% of all exporters in the sector in Spain). In 2022, exports were valued at €8.846 billion, making up 9% of all Catalan exports and 31% of all Spanish exports in the life sciences and healthcare sector.
Increase in the number and presence of health multinationals in Catalonia
Featured companies
Amgen
Amgen first began working in Spain in 1990 as a distributor. This California (US) based biotechnology firm produces therapies for cardiology, nephrology, onco-hematology and bone metabolism.
Grifols
Grifols is a global company that specializes in plasma based medicines to treat rare and chronic diseases in areas like immunology, hepatology, hematology, pulmonary diseases and neurology.
Almirall
One of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country (turnover +€850 million). It specializes in dermatology but also develops drugs for the nervous system, gastrointestinal and respiratory conditions, infectious diseases and neoplasms.
Esteve
Esteve has made neurology the focus of its pipeline (epilepsy, Alzheimer, depression, pain), followed by ophthalmology. It also offers CMO services and produces generics.
Ferrer
Ferrer focuses its R&D on neurological disorders and pulmonary diseases, but also markets drugs for the nervous system, cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology and pain, as well as parapharmaceutical products.
Oryzon Genomics
Created as a spinoff of the UB, this biotechnology firm, which has been publicly traded on the Spanish Continuous Market since 2015, focuses on developing epigenetic therapies for oncology and central nervous system treatments.