Biomedical innovation 'made in Spain': Challenges and opportunities in the long race to market

How can Spain increase its competitiveness in Biomedical Research? This was the central question addressed at the 18th Annual Conference of the Biomedical Research Technology Platforms, promoted by Farmaindustria, Fenin, Veterindustria, Nanomed, and the Biotechnology Market Platform, managed by AseBio.

Biomedical innovation has become a key driver of medical progress and improved quality of life for patients. In this context, biotechnology plays a leading role by offering disruptive solutions for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases. Spain boasts a highly innovative biotech ecosystem, powered by cutting-edge research centers, scientific talent, and a dynamic business fabric. However, one of the main challenges remains transforming this knowledge into tangible products that reach the healthcare system—and ultimately the patient.

To achieve this, it is essential to strengthen mechanisms that accelerate the translation of science to the market. Promoting effective tools for support, funding, and public-private collaboration is key to scaling innovative projects and closing the gap between the laboratory and industry.

This was the starting point for the panel organized by the Biotechnology Market Platform, titled “How Do We Accelerate Biomedical Innovations Made in Spain?” The discussion was moderated by Ion Arocena, Director General of AseBio and coordinator of the Biotechnology Market Platform, and featured Marc Martinell, CEO of Minoryx; Marta Moreno, Director of Corporate Affairs and Market Access at AstraZeneca; Manel Cascalló, General Director of Theriva Biologics; and Diego Velasco, member of the executive, innovation, and transfer committees of ITEMAS.

A Snapshot of Biomedical Innovation in Spain

Spain is at a pivotal moment to position itself as a global leader in biomedical innovation. The country stands out for its solid research infrastructure, growing public and private investment, and close collaboration between academic institutions, healthcare centers, and industry. Still, challenges persist in reaching that goal.

As Marc Martinell noted, the landscape in Spain “has changed radically over the last 20 years, but we still see few innovations reaching patients because this is a long-distance race.” He stressed the importance of long-term commitment, adding that “we must understand that early-stage projects have very different needs than those closer to market.”

Manel Cascalló agreed, stating that Spain “has made a significant leap in recent years in biotech innovation, but we are not yet a fully mature market.” He pointed out that “while funding for early-stage companies is fairly well covered at the moment, we must address the challenge of company maturation.” For example, “in drug development companies, the transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 remains difficult, as does market access for diagnostics or medtech companies. These steps require significantly higher financial resources and, above all, investors willing to take on different levels of risk than those typically found in our ecosystem.”

Marta Moreno added that “Spain has a top-tier biomedical ecosystem and a strong leadership position in clinical trials, but we need to strengthen the bridges between the public system, academia, and the entrepreneurial business network to ensure this excellence translates into real solutions.”

Diego Velasco emphasized that “the consolidation of the national biotech business fabric and the professionalization of innovation units in Health Research Institutes have, in recent years, enabled products designed by our researchers and healthcare professionals to begin reaching patients.”

What Do Innovation Support Instruments Need to Accelerate Innovation?

The panel also tackled the critical question of what innovation support instruments require in order to truly accelerate biomedical innovation. According to Velasco, to speed up the process of getting innovations to patients, “we must boost business involvement in health innovation projects by removing barriers to the creation, development, and commercialization of spin-offs, promoting venture building, and subsidizing initiatives that help industry make decisions to incorporate public-origin innovations into their portfolios.”

Moreno shared AstraZeneca’s Global Hub in Barcelona as an example of reinforcing collaboration between the public system, academia, and the entrepreneurial business network. This initiative, she explained, “is a great example of how these connections can translate into impactful projects—generating jobs, attracting investment, and, most importantly, accelerating the arrival of life-saving, life-extending, and life-improving solutions.”

When asked about what Spain can learn from international collaborations as a way to boost biomedical innovation, Cascalló noted that “the quality of clinical research in Spain is very high and highly competitive compared to other European countries and especially the U.S.” However, he pointed out that “when it comes to studies initiated in collaboration with academia, it's difficult to find academic institutions in Spain willing to share clinical trial costs and associated risks.” In contrast, in the U.S., “institutions have highly specialized teams that allow them to carry out part of the activities in-house quite easily.”

Regarding the challenge of reaching the market access phase, Martinell remarked that “transitioning from being a company focused solely on R&D to one with a product on the market is a major shift. Making that transition is a significant challenge that involves meeting a range of needs—financial, structural, and human resources alike.”