#NewAseBioMember | "AseBio represents a community of people who believe that science can change lives"

AseBio. What does your company's work bring to the table and what is its strength?

Chus Castillo Gutiérrez. Biotechnology is transforming medicine at an unprecedented pace. Every day, we see new therapies with the potential to change the lives of patients who, only a few years ago, had little or no treatment options. Yet innovation only fulfills its purpose when it reaches the people who need it most.

That is exactly where we make a difference.

At IGES Pharma, we help companies turn scientific innovation into accessible healthcare solutions. We work at the intersection of science, health economics, evidence generation, and market access, ensuring that groundbreaking therapies can successfully navigate increasingly complex healthcare systems.

Our greatest strength lies in our understanding that Market Access is about much more than pricing and reimbursement. It is about building trust, generating meaningful evidence, and demonstrating the value that innovation brings to patients, healthcare professionals, and society as a whole. Combined with the extensive European expertise of the IGES (as part of Athagoras Group) , this allows us to support companies from early development through to successful market access.

AseBio. What is AseBio for you?

Chus Castillo Gutiérrez. To me, AseBio represents a community.

A community of people who believe that science has the power to change lives and who understand that innovation only flourishes through collaboration between companies, researchers, healthcare professionals, public institutions, and patients.

We are living through one of the most exciting periods in the history of biotechnology. Never before have we had so many opportunities to transform the way we prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. But this progress also requires collaboration, open dialogue, and a shared vision for the future.

That is why organizations like AseBio play such an essential role.

AseBio. When did you first hear about AseBio?

Chus Castillo Gutiérrez. After more than twenty-five years working in the pharmaceutical industry and Market Access, it is difficult to pinpoint a specific moment because AseBio has always been one of the leading voices representing innovation in Spain.

Throughout my career, I have followed its work in bringing visibility to the biotech sector, fostering collaboration, and representing the interests of innovative companies before policymakers and other stakeholders.

Today, with the implementation of the European HTA Regulation, the rapid growth of precision medicine, and the emergence of advanced therapies, AseBio's role is more relevant than ever.

AseBio. What do you expect from being part of an association like AseBio?

Chus Castillo Gutiérrez. Our ambition is to contribute.

We want to share our expertise in Market Access, Health Technology Assessment, health economics, and evidence generation to help innovative therapies reach patients faster.

At the same time, we are eager to learn.

Spain's biotechnology ecosystem is growing rapidly and is home to outstanding scientific, entrepreneurial, and industrial talent. Becoming part of AseBio gives us the opportunity to collaborate with this exceptional community and contribute to building an environment where innovation can thrive.

I firmly believe that the greatest breakthroughs are never achieved by a single organization. They are the result of collaboration.

AseBio. What is the biggest challenge facing the biotech sector or your company?

Chus Castillo Gutiérrez. I believe the biggest challenge today is no longer discovering new therapies.

The real challenge is ensuring that these innovations reach patients as quickly as science is capable of delivering them.

We are witnessing remarkable advances in gene therapies, precision medicine, artificial intelligence, and highly personalized treatments. However, healthcare systems, reimbursement pathways, and evaluation processes often struggle to keep pace with scientific progress.

As a society, we need to close that gap.

At IGES Pharma, our mission is to help bridge the distance between scientific innovation and healthcare decision-making by generating robust evidence, supporting value-based discussions, and facilitating meaningful dialogue among all stakeholders.
Ultimately, the success of an innovation should not be measured by the number of scientific publications or by regulatory approval alone.

It should be measured by the number of patients whose lives it improves.

"I have always believed that innovation does not end in the laboratory. It truly begins when a patient can benefit from it. If, through our work at IGES Pharma, we can help accelerate that journey, then we are fulfilling our purpose."