2026/06/12

Collaboration between science, health and industry sets the roadmap to strengthen biomedical research in the Basque Country

Representatives from the scientific, healthcare, institutional, and business sectors analyzed the challenges and opportunities of biomedical research in the Basque Country, agreeing on the need to strengthen collaboration, knowledge transfer, and innovation to accelerate the development of new therapeutic solutions.

Last Friday, Faes Farma's facilities at the Bizkaia Technology Park hosted the "Biomedical Research Ecosystem in the Basque Country" event, bringing together some of the leading players from the scientific, healthcare, institutional, and business sectors to reflect on the present and future of health innovation in the Basque Country. CIC bioGUNE participated as co-organizer of the event, contributing its scientific expertise and experience in building the Basque research ecosystem.

The event focused on the conditions needed to strengthen the competitiveness of the Basque biomedical research ecosystem, from attracting and retaining talent to funding innovation, clinical research, knowledge transfer, and the development of new therapies. Participants agreed that collaboration between research centers, public administrations, companies, and healthcare professionals is one of the key assets for accelerating the delivery of innovation to society.

What was discussed at the Basque biomedical ecosystem event?

The session was opened by Faes Farma President Mariano Ucar and the Basque Government's Minister of Science, Universities and Innovation, Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias, who underscored the importance of science and inter-agency cooperation to accelerate the development of new therapeutic solutions and strengthen the Basque Country's competitiveness in the health sector.

The programme featured three panel discussions addressing:

• The positioning of the Basque Country as a biomedical research hub, with a focus on talent, funding and strategies for international differentiation.
• Current challenges in clinical research, including evidence generation, streamlining clinical trials and enhancing coordination among research centres.
• The social value of medicines, encompassing healthcare system sustainability and equitable access to innovation.

Cross-cutting topics included public-private collaboration, knowledge transfer, the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare, innovation funding, and the development of new therapies. Participating organizations included the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Farmaindustria, Basque Health Cluster (BHC), ASEBIO, BIOEF, Vicomtech, IRB Barcelona and plataforma de pacientes POP, among others.

CIC bioGUNE at the center of the debate: How can the Basque Country lead European biomedicine?

One of the highlights of the event was the roundtable moderated by José M Mato, Director General of CIC bioGUNE and CIC biomaGUNE, which examined the strategies needed for the Basque Country to establish itself as a European leader in biomedical research and health innovation.

Participants reflected on the Basque ecosystem's distinctive strengths and on the scientific and technological areas with the greatest potential to achieve a leading international position.

The discussion highlighted the need to foster stable collaborative environments that support knowledge generation, the attraction and retention of research talent, the transfer of scientific results, and the delivery of innovation to patients, who are placed at the center of research and development processes.

Closing session: High-impact innovation for the Basque ecosystem

The event concluded with remarks by the Basque Government's Deputy Minister of Health and Digital Transformation, Gontzal Tamayo; the Director General of Farmaindustria, Juan Yermo; and the CEO of Faes Farma, Eduardo Recoder, who all highlighted the Basque ecosystem's capacity to generate high-impact innovation and contribute to the advancement of biomedical research.

"The major health challenges of our time demand new forms of collaboration and a firm commitment to innovation. Events like this one allow us to generate shared knowledge, identify opportunities, and build alliances that accelerate the delivery of new solutions to patients, which is our ultimate goal". highlighted Eduardo Recoder, CEO of Faes Farma.

Through initiatives such as this one, CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, reaffirms its commitment to world-class science connected to society, and to strengthening alliances between research centers, public institutions, companies, and healthcare professionals to address the present and future challenges in health.

About CIC bioGUNE

The Cooperative Research Centre in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA) and located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organization conducting cutting-edge research at the interface of structural, molecular, and cellular biology, with a special focus on the molecular basis of disease, to support the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About BRTA

BRTA is an alliance composed of 4 cooperative research centers (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE, and CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centers (Azterlan, AZTI, CEIT, CIDETEC, GAIKER, IDEKO, IKERLAN, LEARTIKER, LORTEK, NEIKER, TECNALIA, TEKNIKER, and VICOMTECH). Its objective is to develop advanced technological solutions for the Basque business ecosystem.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group, and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to foster collaboration among its members, strengthen the conditions for generating and transferring knowledge to companies, enhance their competitiveness, and project Basque scientific and technological capabilities internationally.

BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, accounts for 22 % of Euskadi’s R&D investment, records annual revenues exceeding €300 million, and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

About Faes Farma

We are a pharmaceutical company with over 90 years of experience and a presence in more than 130 countries through marketed or licensed products. We bring together passion, science, and innovation to transform people's health. We research, manufacture, and commercialize prescription drugs, healthcare products, and animal nutrition products, and we aspire to become a leading pharmaceutical group renowned for excellence and innovation. At Faes Farma, our values guide us to deliver the highest-quality solutions in health and wellness, with the patient as our top priority; to develop innovative products that meet the needs of society; and to ensure an operation that is principled, transparent, and committed, grounded in responsible and excellent management.

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