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The event has brought together more than 150 professionals to the Department of Health assembly hall. Source/ Biocat.
 01.12.2023

Biocat presents action plan for Advanced and Emerging Therapies Hub of Catalonia

The work group driving the Advanced and Emerging Therapies Hub of Catalonia, coordinated by Biocat, based in the Barcelona Science Park, today presented its action plan to 150 professionals from the sector gathered at the Department of Health. The Government of Catalonia entrusted this project in order to drive the advanced and emerging therapies ecosystem in Catalonia to ensure patients have access to therapeutic solutions and increase the number of clinical trials in this arena. The initiative will also encourage industrial development and boost the economic and social impact of this strategic value-added sector.

The presentations featured Catalan Minister of Business and Knowledge Roger Torrent and Catalan Minister of Health Manel Balcells, who highlighted the strategic importance of boosting the advanced and emerging therapies sector.

Torrent stressed that the Hub of Advanced Therapies is “a long-awaited and innovative project that allows us to take a new leap forward in leading this field in southern Europe”. In fact, as an example of the potential of this niche, Torrent stressed that the companies dedicated to this speciality “have not only increased their turnover and the creation of specialised employment in Catalonia, but have also experienced an impressive growth in investment, going from practically zero to 250 million euros between 2006 and 2022”.

Balcells highlighted the added value that this Hub will bring: “It is a great commitment by the country to industry and innovation that should give us value: it gives us jobs with added value, wealth, and, above all, allows us to commit to improving patients and also contribute to the improvement of diseases at a global level. It is a great commitment”.

During the event, Biocat CEO Robert Fabregat shared the actions that will be rolled out to drive and promote the advanced and emerging therapies ecosystem in Catalonia, which fall under five categories. Fabregat clarified: “Special focus will be placed on streamlining and driving clinical development, scaleup, production and adoption of these therapies that have the potential to improve people’s health and wellbeing, democratizing the population’s access to them and, as a result, contributing to the country’s social and economic progress and growth.”

Credit / Biocat.

During the presentation, Dr. Núria Montserrat, deputy director of Clinical Translation Initiatives at IBEC and Principal Investigator of the Pluripotency for Organ Regeneration group, shared some reflections. IBEC’s participation in this project solidifies its position as a key player in the development of advanced and emerging therapies and ensures a unique chance to shape the future of research and innovation in this critical field.

The Advanced and Emerging Therapies Hub of Catalonia is a project the Government of Catalonia entrusted to Biocat in order to drive the advanced and emerging therapies ecosystem in Catalonia to ensure patients have access to therapeutic solutions and increase the number of clinical trials in this arena. The initiative will also encourage industrial development and boost the economic and social impact of this strategic value-added sector.

Plus, the initiative will include the Advanced and Emerging Therapies Center of Catalonia (CTAEC), which will become a new facility open to the ecosystem to promote connections among the generation of these technologies in public health and R&D systems, and industrial development and commercialization by the private sector afterwards.

An opportunity for Catalonia

Catalonia has one of the most vibrant and active life sciences and healthcare ecosystems in Europe, as seen in the data published in the 2022 BioRegion of Catalonia Report compiled by Biocat. It has a very high level of science in advanced therapies and bioengineering, as well as a top-notch clinical and hospital fabric, with great potential for conducting research and innovative clinical trials. Now, it is home to an ecosystem of emerging companies and investors in biotechnology that is growing exponentially and is highly competitive.

This situation makes it easy to see that we need a clear commitment to positioning Catalonia among the leading European hubs in this arena, which has attracted interest from the international community given the positive impact it is expected to have.

» Link to the news: Biocat website [+]