The Government and the multinational pharmaceutical company Grífols have agreed to jointly wok on establishing a center in Andorra, dedicated to research in immunology. The memorandum of understanding allows the launching of this public/private initiative with the participation of Actua Business that aims to position the Principality in the front lines of international scientific research. The construction of the headquarters for the Immunology Research Center of the Pyrenees is planned to take place on the Casa Rossell lands in Ordino, currently owned by the government.
The Head of Government, Xavier Espot, celebrated the agreement formalized today during the Board of Directors session of Actua Empresa and approved by the Government. An initiative that responds, especially in the current post-pandemic context, to the objectives included in the Executive´s plan to diversify the economy wagering on priority sectors such as biotechnology, research and technological progress, promoting innovation, attracting talent and activities of a high added value. Espot also highlighted that this project may also, directly or indirectly, encourage other investments from the Health sector to establish themselves in Andorra.
The joint General Director of Grífols, Víctor Grífols Deu, manifested his satisfaction with the construction of this Immunology Research Center located in the south of Europe, surrounded by nature in an inspiring environment such as the Andorran Pyrenees. Grífols Deu added that this project is destined to become top level International center contributing to the advances in knowledge regarding the immune system and will develop therapies to improve the Health and quality of life of people.
The Immunology Research Center to be located in Andorra, thought to become a flagship project in its field, will be one of the few research centers dedicated to immunology in Europe and will serve as an international center for the development of treatments for immune system disorders.
The Government has charged and provided Actua Empresa with piloting this initiative. Actua Empresa, a public entity of the Government´s, will have to constitute a society in conjunction with the pharmaceutical company Grifols, in order to develop the project and participate in its future exploitation. The Government will concede use of the stated public lands to Actua Empresa so that this society may project the construction of the scientific research center´s headquarters.
In this sense, with the approval of today´s agreement, Grífols and the Government of Andorra through Actua Empresa will formalize a new joint company, participated in by Grífols through its subsidiary GIANT (Grifols Innovation and New Technologies) owning 80%, and by Actua Empresa owning 20%. The volume of investment foreseen for the building of the Center will be of around 25 million euros made by the multinational pharmaceutical Grífols who, in addition, will invest around 7 million euros annually destined to research. For their part, Actua Empresa will contribute 200 thousand euros annually.
The Immunology Research Center will become a pioneer research space in all areas of immunology, working on solutions to be applied therapeutically. It will have advanced technological equipment and an avantgarde team of scientists and technicians. This R+D+I center will be headed by prestigious multidisciplinary scientists working on their own lines of investigation while simultaneously promoting investigation in line with other international research teams. The center will also be designed to host different teams developing specific scientific projects in the health field. The agreement stipulates that Andorra will have priority benefits of the products developed in this center.
Therefore, in the coming months, the land concession will be formalized and the initiating of the process to declare this a Project of National Interest will begin. The Government will previously undertake the necessary legal modifications to make this possible. Simultaneously the pharmaceutical company will design the architectural plans for construction and building management, as well as the exploitation, technical and human resources ones needed to achieve the objectives of the research center.
Text: Govern d’Andorra
