Esteve moves R&D department to Barcelona Science Park
The Catalan pharmaceutical company aims to foster 'Open Innovation' in the biomedical R&D arena in an environment of scientific and technical excellence.
By Biocat
Esteve, one of the top pharmaceutical companies in Spain, has moved its R&D center to the Barcelona Science Park (PCB), in an attempt to shorten development time and speed up the arrival to market of innovative new drugs. President of the Government of Catalonia Artur Mas inaugurated the new facility yesterday alongside other authorities like the Catalan Ministers for Economy and Knowledge and for Health and the Mayor of Barcelona.
Esteve’s R&D department is made up of 350 collaborators around the world —13% of the group’s total staff— specializing in different stages of the drug research process. Their new headquarters in the PCB, with a team of 92 people, works on the core activities of the initial part of this process: the discovery phase in which new chemical entities (NCE) are identified and preclinical development.
The decision to move the R&D team to the PCB was based on factors like the excellent conditions of this facility, the advantages of working in a top-notch scientific/technical environment, and the chance to participate in a joint space for academics, researchers, young talent and entrepreneurs. Or, as the company explained in a press release, "to interact in a powerful innovation ecosystem." Esteve is committed to a model that goes beyond traditional university/business collaboration.
New drugs to treat pain
Esteve’s R&D strategy is based on three key pillars: maintaining a sustainable portfolio of products with balanced risk, focusing R&D on pain treatment, and expanding their network of excellence through alliances with benchmark partners.
The pharmaceutical company is currently developing new drugs to treat pain, a therapeutic area with many unmet medical needs. They currently have two projects in phase II to treat neuropathic pain and moderate to intense chronic acute pain. One of these, E-52862, a highly potent and selective Sigma-1 receptor, incorporates a new focus and highly innovative action mechanism.
It must also be noted that this is the only representative from Spain among the eight pharmaceutical companies participating in Europain, a multiyear project with a total budget of €17.5 millions and an international team of chronic-pain researchers.
More information is available on the Esteve website.