Grifols will be creating a pioneering complex for scientific and health research in Andorra. The Andorran government and the pharmaceutical holding company have announced an agreement to develop a research centre that will begin operating in 2023.
A new project that will position Andorra at the cutting edge of scientific research
Pharmaceutical company Grifols has chosen Andorra as the location for an immunology research centre that will focus on finding new therapies and cures for immune system conditions. Location is the key, as this will be the only centre of its kind in southern Europe.
The Andorran government, through the state-owned company ADI (Andorra Desenvolupament i Inversió), and Grifols have come together for a joint venture to launch the PYIRC (Pyrenees Immunology Research Center). The multinational will be the major partner with an 80% shareholding, while ADI will own 20% of the company. Grifols will contribute an initial investment of 25 million euros, with an additional 7 million euros added each year, and the Andorran company will invest 200,000 euros per year and provide the land where the planned complex will be built.
The Pyrenees Immunology Research Center
The new complex will cover an area of 6,000 m², and feature the most state-of-the-art technologies and facilities. Situated in Ordino, it will have sufficient capacity for 50 permanent researchers and be able to accommodate visiting teams that can generate synergies with other fields of research. One of the core requirements is constructing a sustainable facility that is integrated and respectful to the environment and complies with all environmental standards.
The Pyrenees Immunology Research Center will be part of Grifols’ worldwide network of research and development centres staffed by more than 1,200 researchers.
New opportunities for Andorra
This project has been brought to the country thanks to the foreign investment law adopted in 2012.
This is excellent news for Andorra, which has been working hard over the past decade to entice new sectors with the goal of diversifying the economy (one of the objectives outlined in the Horizon 23 economic plan, which we covered in this article). The government will be involved through ADI, the public agency tasked with the economic advancement of the country, whose mission is to diversify and modernise the economy.
This will be the first project of this magnitude to come to the country. It is hoped that it will attract new talent and knowledge in the field of health, biotechnology and scientific research. Meanwhile, the Pyrenees Immunology Research Center will pave the way for other companies, both directly and indirectly related to this sector, which might be interested in establishing their businesses in the country.
At the same time, it will also be a way to give opportunities to resident professionals in this field who currently need to emigrate to other countries to practise their profession.
A great company with a rich history
Grifols is a pharmaceutical sector multinational specialising in medical research with a history spanning 110 years. In May 2020, it collaborated with Andorra on pandemic management, providing the necessary machinery to perform TMA tests at the Nostra Senyora de Meritxell Hospital.
In summary, Andorra is opening up to other sectors in an effort to diversify its economy and attract new companies that want to establish themselves in the principality, not only due to lower taxation but also thanks to the environment and geographical location.