According to Genoma España, Spain ranked fourth in Europe in terms of biotechnology-related articles published in scientific journals, and sixth as far as the industry-wide impact of these publications. Approximately half of these materials cover basic research in biotechnology, while the other half are geared towards more specific research areas, particularly human and veterinary medicine as well as the agricultural sector.
The importance of the research made in Spain can be seen at the US Patent and Trademark Office. Although just 0.15% of patents granted in the US were submitted by Spanish researchers and firms, a study of the works referenced in a sample of patent applications made by North American researchers and companies has shown that 40% of them cite Spanish researchers as contributing authors.
Currently, in Spain, the turnover of companies fully devoted to the biotechnology industry is estimated at more than $400 million. These figures imply that the average annual growth during the 2000-2006 period reached 50%.
In addition, there are more than 500 companies operating in the biotechnology sector as of 2007. These numbers clearly indicate that biotechnology will play an increasingly important role in the Spanish economy.
Approximately one fifth of the existing bio firms are fully devoted to biotechnology research, three fifths are end users and the remaining fifth are service providers. Among firms fully devoted to research, 66% belong to the human and veterinary medicine fields, dealing mostly with molecular and genetic diagnostics -although some companies have embarked on drug / antibody / vaccine discoveries and developments. Another 33% work in breeding and genetic improvement for agriculture, livestock, forestry and bio-processing. Finally, a few companies are developing new technologies or tools for use in general industrial applications.
The estimated total of public and private investment in biotechnology amounts to more than $850 million. During the 2000-2006 period, the volume of public biotechnology R&D subsidies grew annually by almost 15%. Moreover, research grants for biotechnology projects in Spain added up to over $275 million. It is worth noting that public subsidies for biotechnology R&D projects represented 15.8% of the total volume of subsidies for research projects within the National R&D Plan.
A breakdown of public biotechnology subsidies shows that the health sector attracts two thirds of public investment, which is aimed primarily at universities and public research centers. Conversely, agriculture and its related industries attract three fifths of public investment aimed at private businesses. Madrid and Catalonia received almost 50% of these funds, while other important locations include Andalusia, Valencia, Galicia, Castile-Leon and Murcia.
Regional efforts have been developed in recent years to further strengthen the biotechnology sector in Spain. For example, the Government of Catalonia, has launched the Catalonia Bioregion in order to facilitate synergies among all its members involved in biotechnology and biomedicine in the Barcelona area. Initially created as a Government initiative, it receives support from public research institutions and the private sector, following the clustering Triple Helix model. Its goal is to make Catalonia an international hub associated with top quality research, competitive business networking and a robust and dynamic knowledge exchange system. The BioRegion of Catalonia promotes the interconnection and interdependence of all biotech sector stakeholders.
General Remarks
The Spanish public is quite optimistic about technological advances and tend to value them positively. Consequently, Spaniards’ perception of the risk of biotechnology is lower than the European Union average.
Spain continues to be a major player in the biotech market. The excellent quality of the research carried out, major annual public investments, as well as the support given by the Spanish community to this technology will all contribute to Spain’s future success. Moreover, the foundations needed to create a business sector that can turn generous public and private investment in biotechnology into new products, therapies or services already exist in Spain.
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