InnovationEcosystem
Picks of September: advances in Alzheimer’s, funding, and sustainability in the BioRegion of Catalonia
Research and healthcare innovation took center stage this September, in a context also marked by the Spanish Ministry of Health’s announcement of a forthcoming digital health law to regulate the interoperability of digital medical records in Spain and the European Union.
- In the field of research and clinical trials, Oryzon Genomics has received authorization from the European Medicines Agency to launch RESTORE, a phase Ib trial with iadademstat in sickle cell anemia—the molecule’s first study in a non-malignant hematological indication. In parallel, a team from IRB Barcelona has published results that pave the way for a potential “exercise pill” to combat obesity and diabetes. On the other hand, a study involving Clínic-Idibaps shows that epigenetics, beyond switching genes on and off, records the origin and progression of tumors.
- CONNECTA Therapeutics has also announced the entry of its candidate CTH120 into a pediatric phase II trial for Fragile X syndrome, supported by €2.5 million from the EIC Accelerator. In oncology, Inbiomotion has published in the Journal of Medical Economics that the MAF test enables significant savings by guiding adjuvant therapy with bisphosphonates in early-stage breast cancer, while REVEAL GENOMICS has obtained ISO 13485:2016 (DEKRA) certification for its quality management system.
- September brought major international industry events: Advanced Therapies Europe 2025 gathered over 500 sector leaders at the Hotel Arts in Barcelona, consolidating the city as the European capital of advanced therapies. Meanwhile, BIOSPAIN announced it will shift from a biennial to an annual conference and is preparing the 2025 edition (October 7–9, Fira Montjuïc). In parallel, Biocat kicked off a new edition of CRAASH Barcelona and the d·HEALTH Barcelona program.
- Coinciding with World Alzheimer’s Day, the scientific community has highlighted what is already being considered a “major breakthrough”: for the first time in history, new drugs and biomarkers have shown the ability to slow the progression of the disease, ushering in a new era in dementia treatment. In Catalonia, Hospital de Bellvitge and IDIBELL, together with ADmit Therapeutics, have validated the first blood biomarker with CE-IVDR marking (MAP-AD®), capable of predicting the progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s. In parallel, the Barcelona City Council has presented the “Barcelona for Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias 2025–2030” strategy, with a €6 million budget and the creation of the HUB Alzheimer Barcelona.
- In the funding arena, a key highlight is Invivo Partners’ announcement of the upcoming Invivo Ventures III fund, with €100 million earmarked for investment in artificial intelligence and life sciences. The firm has added Josep Maria Martorell, former associate director of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, to its Scientific Advisory Board.
- Other venture capital rounds also mobilized significant amounts this month: Integra Therapeutics closed €10.7 million in a pre-Series A round to accelerate its FiCAT genetic writing platform and validate new CAR-T therapies; ADmit Therapeutics entered the pre-commercial phase and opened a €12 million round; Loop Diagnostics (LoopDx) launched a €5 million round to scale up its rapid sepsis test SeptiLoop®; and MIWEndo Solutions raised €1.2 million through a public-private collaboration to advance a single-use device for colonoscopies.
- Major infrastructure projects also took the spotlight. In Aiguaviva, HIPRA inaugurated its new campus with an investment exceeding €500 million and plans to create over 1,000 jobs. The ALBA II project, located in Cerdanyola, received joint approval from the Spanish government and the Generalitat to invest €926.2 million over 14 years to renovate the ALBA Synchrotron. In Esplugues de Llobregat, Vithas opened the new Hospital Vithas Barcelona, reinforcing the municipality as a hub for health and innovation. On the other hand, AGC Pharma Chemicals has invested €100 million in the expansion of its plant in Malgrat de Mar, its only one outside Japan, dedicated to advanced manufacturing. Finally, Qilimanjaro will open later this year in Sant Martí the first quantum data center in Europe, featuring a 1,000 m² hybrid infrastructure capable of hosting up to 15 quantum computers.
- On the sustainability front, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Klinea has joined the B Corp community and strengthened its ESG plan. In addition, on September 29, the Barcelona Science Park will present its new mobility plan.
- Knowledge transfer also made headlines: the Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR) and the Prous Institute for Biomedical Research signed a strategic alliance, co-funded by the Technological Impulse Fund (FIT) over three years, to accelerate high-impact projects in the early stages of development.
- Finally, in the awards and talent section, three BioRegion of Catalonia entities—Genomcore, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, and VHIO—were recognized at the PRECISEU Best Practice Recognition Awards. In addition, Catalonia stood out in the ERC Starting Grants 2025, securing 13 of the 28 projects funded in Spain. The “la Caixa” Foundation has announced the results of the 2025 CaixaImpulse program, which supports 31 biomedical projects, 15 of which are led by Catalan researchers. Lastly, Ana Martí Delgado has been appointed the new Director of Strategy and Quality at Parc Taulí.