CATALAN BIOTECH SECTOR DOUBLES INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS IN TWO YEARS

The Catalan biotech sector has doubled in two years the number of international investors, which have gone from 22 to 50. Until October, the start-ups of the sector have captured 100.2 million euros, almost matching the 107.3 million that were invested in 2017, although below the 164 million 2016, the year in which the investment of 47 million of a background in Mosaic Biomedicals shot the statistics. In three years, between 2015 and 2017, investment in the sector triples that of the previous three years and reaches 340 million euros.

The entry of international investors is a key milestone for the development of biotechnology in Catalonia. They began to have relevance in 2015, and have spent years looking at efficiency in the use of capital and scientific rigor, and begin to repeat. And its presence encourages other funds, which can enter into a phase of exponential growth of the investment network. These investors are fundamentally in the hands of professional funds , such as Ysinos, Caixa Capital Risc, Health¬Equity, Inveready or Alta Life Sciences,

Catalonia has 1,060 bio companies, which cost 17,802 million and employ 53,731 people

The new Catalan biotechnology still lacks a "success story": to get a drug to the market, a landmark that is expected to be reached in 2025, because there are already several drugs in phase III. "This regarding innovative small businesses, because in the market there are already many drugs developed by Catalan pharmaceuticals, such as Almirall, Grifols, Esteve, Ferrer or Uriach.

They are now in advanced phases of development 18 potential drugs, 11 more than in 2013, of which three are in phase III.

The Biocat report pointed out that in Catalonia there are 1,060 Pharmacy and Biotechnology companies, which turnover of 17,802 million euros (3.8% of GDP) and employ 53,731 people, as well as many healthcare service institutions that increase billing in the area of Life sciences to 31,087 million euros.