SubscribeLife sciences and biotechnology are, after information technologies, the next wave of technological revolution that will bring important advances in the well being of our societies.
For the year 2005 the European biotechnical market could make up about 100,000 million Euro. According to reports corresponding to the year 2003, the number of companies related with biotechnology at world level is superior in Europe (1,878) than in the USA (1,466). The American biotechnical industry began its development before Europe and the companies are bigger, which has allowed them to create more employment (162,000 compared to 61,000 jobs in Europe), it also has better economic resources and more biotechnical products in developmental phase.
It is expected that the European biotechnical sector reach the 250 thousand million Euro mark before 2015 and be responsible for of 3 million jobs in Europe. The confidence of the European Union in biotechnology is clear and resolved and, inside the VI Framework Programme to support I+D, Biotechnology occupies a high-priority place inside diverse investigation areas with investments in the chapter 1 (Genome and Biotechnology for health), chapter 3 Nanotechnology), chapter 5 (Food safety and Control), and chapter 6 (Sustainable development and changes in the ecosystems).
Spanish Outlook on Biotechnology
The detailed analysis of the current situation of biotechnology in Spain reveals a great historical delay as consequence of the scarce investment in I+D. The total investment in I+D+i during last year only reached 0.9% of the total GDP, far less than the 2.8% of the USA and the 1.9% of the European Union average before expansion. However the new government forecasts an annual increment of 25%, seeking to reach European Union averages in a four year- term. The final objective is to reach for the year 2010 3 % in established I+D as objective in the Summit of Lisbon.
This means that Spain will make a great effort in the coming years that will allow it to be at the same level as more developed European countries. Among some of the most outstanding investigation centres in the area of the medical sciences in Spain, we can highlight: the CNB (I Centre National of Biotechnology), CBM (I Centre of Molecular Biology), CIB (Centre of Biological Investigations), Institute of Health Carlos III, CNIO (Centre National of Cancer Investigations), Institute of Biomedical Investigations Alberto Sols and the CNIC (Centre National of Cardiovascular Investigations).
Also there are three important research centres in creation phase with stem cells in Barcelona, Andalusia and Valencia from which important medical applications are expected in the fields of diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses and neurodegenerative Illnesses.
On the other hand, we can highlight the high academic level of the Spanish investigators in the area of bioscience. Spain occupies the fourth position of the European Union in scientific production in Biotechnology and applied Microbiology if we look at number of Spanish investigators' publications in those areas. The investigations of Spanish scientists in biotechnology represent 4% of the world investigations in that field, following the United Kingdom, Germany and France. The investigations that are carried out in Spain are eminently basic, the same as in the other countries of the UE, although we can say that the applied component and technological is greater than in other countries of the UE.
The patents are a good indicator of health in the technology transfer from the investigation centres to the companies. In Spain we have with the paradox that remarkable scientific production is not translated to the corresponding intellectual protection. The number of applications and the number of publications of international patents (PCT) requested by Spaniards in the field of biotechnology during the year 2002 was only of 32 and 26, respectively. Very low figures considering the quality of Spanish investigation. However, this tendency can change in coming years.
The Spanish government and the regional governments seek to foment the technology transfer from the universities and the public centres of investigation to the companies. The objective is the intellectual protection of the discoveries in biotechnology, which already allow the creation of new bio-companies and the growth of the existing ones by means of the development of new products and services.
It is interesting to point out that in a study carried out by the CSIC (I Centre Superior of Scientific Investigations) on the number of Spanish investigators' citations in USA patents, it was observed that in a group of 87 Spanish investigators analyzed, 40% of them appeared mentioned as authors of base publications for patent application. Also, more than 50% of these applications of patents came from the North American industry.
Regarding the business sector, according to data of Asebio (Spanish Association of Biocompanies) and the Genoma Foundation (Public institution to foment biotechnology), there are around 300 companies in Spain directly or indirectly related with Biotechnology. Of the 300 companies, 71 are completely dedicated to biotechnology, 79 partially dedicated to biotechnology, 48 companies biotechnology users and 102 companies of services related to the biotechnical industry.
The 71 companies completely dedicated to the biotechnology greatly invest in I+D and are especially active in the search for agreements of collaboration, coalitions and capital reception. Among some of the more famous companies of this group are Pharmamar, Biokit, Lipotec, Puleva Biotech, Natraceutical, Systems Genómicos, Progenika, Advancell, Bionostra, Biosensores, Biotools, Ingenasa or Guserbiot. On the other hand, 79 companies partially dedicated to biotechnology concentrate on sectors of the pharmaceutical, cosmetic industry and hatcheries and they are located fundamentally in Catalonia, Madrid and Basque Country. Among these companies we should highlight some traditional pharmaceutical companies as Laboratories Esteve, Group Ferrer, Laboratories Faes, Uriach and Almirall Prodesfarma.
The creation of companies of new technology is closely linked to the presence of Venture Capital willing to bet on strategic sectors with future applications. The percentage of Capital Risk invested in Spain in Biotechnology on the total invested in all the sectors during the period 2000-2002, was of only 0.533%, while in the USA and the UE is 5.77% and 9.26% respectively. Of the 1,329 operations of Capital Risk carried out in Spain during the years 2000-2002, 13 were only in Biotechnology.
Few companies of capital risk that invest in biotechnology projects in Spain exist. Among the most important we could mention Talde, Capital Seed of Bizkaia, Barcelona Empren, Unirisco and Najeti. Traditionally the Spanish investors are conservative and they have preferred to invest in more traditional economic sectors and not support sectors like Biotechnology. In this sense it is important to highlight the Spanish market for potential foreign investors in this field.
Lastly we should point out the public perception that Spaniards have of Biotechnology. In general one can say that the public perception in Spain is more favourable than in the rest of the UE: the attitudes are more optimistic and more favourable. The most controversial aspects concern GM foods and stem cells. On the other hand, the amount of information and of implication of Spaniards in the public debate on scientific and technological topics is scarce if we compare it with the rest of the European countries. However we can appreciate a growing interest and the appearance in the media of more news related to biotechnology.
Public Policies in support of the creation of Bio Companies
Although historically biotechnology has had scarce public support in Spain, this tendency has been changing and during the last years important transformations have taken place. On a national level national it is necessary to highlight the creation of the Fundacion Genoma, adhered to the Ministry of health and of the Ministry of Education and Science. Its objectives are: to foment the investigation on Genomics and Proteomic, to foment the development of biotechnical companies and to obtain financing for the Spanish investigation groups that work in these fields. Participation in the Foundation is open to all agents of the sector: private companies, public organisms of investigation and the administration itself. Also, the Fundacion Genoma has established close ties of collaboration with other similar institutions in other countries around the world, as in the case of Genoma Canada.
Also worthy of mention is the effort being carried out on the part of some regional governments to foment biotechnology. Such is the case of Madrid, Basque Country, Catalonia, Valencia, Navarre and Andalusia. The policies implemented in these Spanish regions have as their objective to develop biotechnology by means of the creation of technological parks associated to universities and centres of prestigious investigation. In these parks there are bio incubators where spin-off and start-up companies are created though entrepreneurs coming from the university and public centres of investigation.
These bioentrepeneurs have institutional support in different aspects: support in the development of the business plan, technical and legal advice, location of specially designed buildings to house companies, endowments in equipment, and promotion of the company in fairs and conventions. But support is not limited only and exclusively to the bioentrepeneurs. Also biotech companies, both national and foreign companies, have the support of the regional governments through the location in the technological parks and economic support through grants and fiscal exemptions.
The case of the Basque Country
The Basque Country is located in the north of Spain and has a long industrial tradition dating from the end of the XIX century. Presently it is the region, along with Madrid and Catalonia that it has the biggest rent per capita in Spain. The Basque Government has developed a Strategic Plan (Plan Biobask 2010) to promote the entrepreneurial spirit in biosciences and to attract investments to the Basque Country. Their objective is the creation of a biotechnology cluster with the creation of 30-40 new biotechnology companies and 3,000 direct job positions for the year 2010.
To this end a co-operation net has been established with the support of universities, public centres of investigation, technological parks, biotechnology companies and the sanitary net. The Basque Government supports biotechnology initiatives created in the Basque Country or coming from elsewhere, by means of economic grants, fiscal advantages and location in technological parks of the Basque Country under very advantageous conditions. These policies are already showing results and several companies related with the genomics, the proteomics, bioinformatics, the discovery of therapeutic targets for cancer, food, cosmetics, the environment and nanobiotecnology have been created.
A promising future
Spain can become in the coming years in a power in biotechnology if the forecasts come true. Policies developed by the national government and the different regional governments seem to work toward this goal. The excellent level of Spanish scientists in the area of biotechnology and the return of many of their best scientists from the USA, constitute the primary factor which could sustain the strong growth forecast for coming years. On the other hand, Spanish society is conscious that it should show support for innovative sectors especially those having to do with its future well being.
Also, Spain can and should play an important linking role between Europe and Latin America. At the moment it is the second foreign investor in Latin America after the USA and it is expected that in the near future it could reach the number one position. The Latin American countries possess an enormous potential in biotechnology due to the presence of important natural resources. They also have the largest biodiversity on the planet. The bioprospection in those countries will permit the discovery of new organisms and to obtain important compounds and substances that will result in, among other things, new medicines to treat illnesses or new and more nutritious foods.