May 11, 2011

Partnering with Madrid’s Life Sciences Industry: Investing in Europe

Partnering with Madrid’s Life Sciences Industry: Investing in Europe

Spain is the fifth-largest market in Europe in terms of sales volume and the creation of employment in the pharmaceutical industry. Madrid is home to more than 600 businesses in the health sector. These companies generate more than 42,000 direct jobs in the pharmaceutical, biomedical and medical equipment industries. One quarter of all the biotechnology companies in Spain are based in Madrid and their turnover accounts for more than 60% of Spain as a whole.

We believe that Madrid is the perfect value-adding location for life science companies to face today’s challenges. Here is why!

Industry: Madrid hosts businesses that specialize in the search for new medicines to treat cancer, Alzheimer's, infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson’s disease and allergies, clinical and molecular diagnosis, cell-based treatments, genetic sequencing, pharmacogenomy, toxicology, nanobiotechnology, production of extracellular transcription agents, molecule-purification, animal models and bio-informatics, among others. Examples of success stories of Madrid biotechnology are Pharmamar and Genetrix.

Research infrastructures: Madrid has more than 20 public research institutions such as: Molecular Biology Centre, Biological Research Centre, National Biotechnology Centre, Biomedical Research Institute, Neuroscience Research Centre, National Cancer Research, and National Cardiovascular Research Centre. Madrid also has a network of Science Parks and 83 hospitals which run more than 650 clinical trials a year. One of these hospitals, Hospital Gregorio Marañón is the seat of the first HIV biobank in the world with more than 50,000 diverse samples. Madrid furthermore offers access to a network of nation-wide biobanks for fresh and stored human samples.

Availability of qualified professionals: More than 600 new PhDs graduate each year in fields related to Life Sciences. More than 5,000 researchers work at universities and public research centres and over 8,700 employees work in biotechnology companies. They provide almost one third of Spain's scientific publications in biomedicine and Spain is the fifth European country (EU-15) in biosciences publications.

Companies already operating in Madrid

Madrid is home to most of the international companies that operate in this sector: Abbott Laboratories, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck Serono, Merck, Sharp & Dohme, Pfizer, Roche, Sandoz Farmaceutica, Wyeth, Genzyme, etc.

In addition to their production centres, businesses of the stature of Glaxo SmithKline, Janssen Cilag, Lilly, Pfizer and Sanofi Aventis have also set up their research centres of excellence in Madrid.

Pharmaceutical, Biotech and Medical Device companies interested in expanding their locations to Madrid,Spain.

Vicente Hernández holds a Pharmacy degree, PhD in Pharnacy, and a MBA in Regulatory Affairs and started his career in preclinical research sciences in the pharmaceutical industry in 1980. In 1990 he worked for Eli Lilly and Co in several positions including manufacturing, quality control and regulatory affairs as Technical Director of one of the Eli Lilly and Co.'s branches in Spain.

Presently at Eli Lilly and Co. in Spain, his responsibilities include pricing reimbursement and access strategy for new products in development, as well as duties within their Corporate Affairs organization.

Cátia Rabaça has a background on Applied Biology (also MSc in Remote Sensing and MBA), but soon decided to develop her skills in an entrepreneurship environment. Prior to undertake innovation management activities, Cátia spent a few years as a researcher, participating in several biology projects and organizing scientific events. In 2005 came out the challenge to work directly with Spanish entrepreneurs and innovative companies.

Presently, Cátia Rabaça runs the Business Development Unit of Madrid Science Park, giving direct support to entrepreneurs and companies. Her main responsibilities are the tenants’ admission process coordination, cooperation with stakeholders, investment forums organization, development of international cooperation projects and several activities to foster entrepreneurship, business development and internationalization.

Since 2006, Cátia catered for more than two hundred entrepreneurs and companies that used the PCM Business Development services, therefore being directly involved in a range innovation management challenges.

Currently several new projects are being launched mainly related to soft landing for foreign companies that want to expand their activity in Spain, as well as internationalization of the PCM business model and establishing new partnerships with different institutions around the world.

Irene Herrera earned her PhD in Biology and conducted her postdoctoral research at the Division of Infectious Diseases, Medical School of The University of Texas-Houston. She has taught at The University Complutense of Madrid and Saint Louis University Madrid Campus.

She is Master in Analysis and Management of Science and Technology and she held several positions at the Technology Transfer Office of the University of Basque Country and the Technology Transfer Office of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research.

Since 2005, Irene is Life Sciences Manager at the Inward Investment Department of PromoMadrid. Irene has advised potential investors about investment opportunities in Madrid and the general investment conditions in the country. She has assisted foreign companies during their first stages of business activity. Specially, she helps foreign companies initiate and establish international business relationships through R&D partnerships.

PROMOMADRID is an incorporated company founded in 2004 by the Madrid Regional Government with the participation of important regional business institutions. Its mission is to develop Madrid’s economy and business activities internationally. PROMOMADRID organizes a wide array of actions designed to boost and promote Madrid companies’ exports and investments abroad; attract and consolidate foreign direct investment in the Madrid Region; and enhance Madrid’s economic image worldwide.