“Barcelona and Catalonia hold a leading position in medical and scientific research”
Carla Ruiz, HR Director of AstraZeneca Spain
Top International life sciences players in Catalonia
Barcelona and Catalonia are a leading life sciences hub in Europe. Multinationals take advantage of a vast ecosystem of world-renowned hospitals, research centers, and providers to set up operations in Spain.
Barcelona-Catalonia, a vibrant life sciences hub.
Barcelona and Catalonia have become a dynamic center for life sciences innovation. The region boasts an impressive network of medical institutions, research centers, biotech start-ups, and pharmaceutical companies.
Catalonia is the densest pharma environment in Europe and home to nearly 1,400 life sciences companies (up 5.45% in 2023). Remarkably, it is the birthplace of the five largest Spanish pharmaceutical companies.
The life sciences sector contributes 7.9% to the region's GDP (including healthcare services). It employs 69,927 people (6.5% of the working population) and generates €42.068 billion in revenue. This robust sector, historically home to over 50% of the Spanish pharmaceutical industry, encompasses biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and the rapidly growing digital health sector, which experienced a 61% growth in 2023 compared to 2022.
Catalonia's robust research and innovation ecosystem is fueling this growth, which boasts 71 investment organizations and between 1 and 1.5 startups being created weekly in the sector.
Recognizing this potential, global pharmaceutical and life sciences leaders have set up production centers and R&D departments in Catalonia, taking advantage of the region's exceptional pool of local talent.
Many global companies have recognized Catalonia as a significant player in Life Sciences, establishing its position as a prosperous destination for investment in this sector.
Top International Life Sciences Players In Catalonia.
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Grifols
Grifols is a global leader in plasma-derived medicines and transfusion medicine. Its worldwide headquarters and major Bioscience, Diagnostic and Hospital operations are based in Sant Cugat del Vallès (Barcelona).
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Novartis
Novartis has established Barcelona as a global innovation hub, hosting six Centers of Excellence, a Global Digital Hub, its Spanish headquarters and three advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing plants.
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Bayer
Bayer’s Barcelona hub combines its Iberian headquarters, LifeHub innovation center and a global expertise hub with over 800 professionals supporting R&D, supply chain, finance, IT and procurement worldwide.
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Roche
Roche’s Sant Cugat campus hosts more than 1,500 professionals and one of the company’s leading global innovation centers, specializing in diagnostics, digital health and diabetes care solutions.
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Sanofi
Sanofi has made Barcelona a strategic innovation hub, combining its Global Innovation Center (500 employees of 40 nationalities), with a new AI and digital hub that is creating more than new 300 highly qualified jobs.
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Boehringer Ingelheim
With more than 1,800 employees, Boehringer Ingelheim's operations in Catalonia form a strategic international hub, bringing together the company's Spanish headquarters, two pharmaceutical manufacturing plants exporting to more than 80 countries, two R&D units, and four global hubs for IT, Digital Services, Regulatory Affairs, and Data & Analytics.
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B Braun Medical
Rubí (Barcelona) is home to B. Braun’s Spanish HQ, one of Europe’s largest infusion solutions plants, and global centers of excellence for wound closure and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The company also operates a Digital Hub in Barcelona that supports global digitalization and healthcare innovation initiatives.
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Menarini
Menarini’s Badalona site hosts its Spanish headquarters, a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant, a global R&D center, and the group’s international pharmacovigilance hub coordinating worldwide drug safety activities.
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Astrazeneca
Barcelona hosts AstraZeneca’s Global Hub, one of the company’s largest strategic centers worldwide. Employing around 1,600 professionals, it combines biomedical research, digital innovation, data science and global business capabilities to accelerate the development of new medicines
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Merck
Merck’s site in Mollet del Vallès (Barcelona) is a strategic manufacturing hub with pharmaceutical and chemical production plants. Employing over 600 professionals, it produces medicines, active ingredients and specialty chemicals for customers in more than 70 countries.
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Towa Pharma
Towa Pharma’s European headquarters in Martorelles (Barcelona) brings together manufacturing, pharmaceutical innovation and international business management activities. Employing around 850 people, it serves as a strategic hub for the company’s generics operations across Europe and global markets.
Discover the top international life sciences companies’ locations.
Discover the top international life sciences companies’ locations.
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Get in touch and we will help you land in Barcelona-Catalonia
