1. A city where business meets breakthroughs
The BioRegion of Catalonia is one of Europe’s top life sciences clusters—home to more than 1,500 companies and contributing 7.6 % of Catalonia’s GDP, while employing 7.3 % of the region’s workforce [1]. The sector’s export activity is strong—over 40 % of Spain’s life sciences exports originate here—and Catalonia ranks second behind Madrid for foreign trade in this field [1, 6].
Growing investment is another marker: in 2024, the region attracted nearly €550 million in life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI)—creating around 1,700 new jobs, driven largely by the continued expansion of AstraZeneca [1]. Alongside this, €247 million was raised by startups and scaleups, with 42% of that funding going to biotech and 51% to medtech ventures [1]. This growth is supported by 78 active investment firms operating in the region, helping to fuel early-stage development and commercialisation across the advanced therapies ecosystem [1].
2. Effortless to reach. Built for connection.
Barcelona combines first-rate international access with a walkable, welcoming city layout—ideal for networking beyond the conference floor.
Global gateway
Barcelona–El Prat connects to over 190 global destinations across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia—making travel to Barcelona straightforward and efficient.
Organic interactions
Once you land, everything’s nearby. From venues and hotels to beachfront cafés and historic neighbourhoods, the city’s design encourages both planned meetings and spontaneous conversations. Be it over tapas in El Born or sunset chats by the sea—Barcelona cultivates real, lasting relationships.
3. A magnet for decision-makers
Catalonia ranks 6th in Europe and 8th globally for its participation in clinical trials, hosting over 1,200 ongoing studies, which account for nearly 75 % of all active trials in Spain [2]. Oncology represents over 65 % of those trials, with other focus areas including cardiovascular, CNS, dermatology, and ophthalmology [2].
Cluster organisations like Biocat have established the Advanced Therapies Network of Catalonia, including hospitals like VHIO and Clinic‑IDIBAPS, pharma majors like Pfizer and Novartis, research institutes, and startups—to regulators, funders, and industry partners [2].
This level of engagement ensures that attending Advanced Therapies Europe gives you direct access to the people who make decisions across the clinical and commercial spectrum.
4. At the heart of European innovation
Catalonia is consistently among Europe’s top regions in research output—ranking 2nd in Horizon funding, 5th in ERC grants, and leading in high-impact papers per capita [7].
The region hosts 75+ investigational therapies in development, including 21 advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) [8]. Catalonia’s research ecosystem includes:
- Aelix Therapeutics (Gilead Sciences), whose AELIX‑003 Phase II HTI vaccine trial showed strong immune responses in people living with HIV [4].
- SOM Biotech, which leverages its AI-powered SOMAIPRO® platform to accelerate orphan-CNS drug development, with two Phase 2a clinical candidates and five more in the clinical pipeline [5].
- IBEC, a Severo Ochoa‑accredited bioengineering institute with an international PhD programme fostering global collaboration [3].
- CNAG, a genomic sequencing powerhouse based in the region [9].
This vibrant innovation ecosystem positions Barcelona as the ideal location for showcase and collaboration.
5. A city that elevates every experience
Doing business in Barcelona feels different. Whether you're presenting in modern venues or brainstorming over seafood paella, the Mediterranean ambiance adds freshness to every interaction—making Advanced Therapies Europe 2025 an experience that combines impact with inspiration.
Spotlight: Catalan innovation leaders
| Organisation |
Focus |
Highlight |
| Aleix Therapeutics |
HIV therapeutic vaccines
|
AELIX‑003 trial confirmed HTI vaccine improved immune control [4]
|
|
SOM Biotech
|
AI‑driven rare disease treatments
|
SOMAIPRO® platform supports orphan drug repurposing [5]
|
| IBEC |
Bioengineering excellence
|
Hosts international PhD programme, Severo Ochoa‑funded [3]
|
| CNAG |
Genomic sequencing
|
High-throughput capabilities and regional research leadership [9]
|
| Clinic-IDIBAPS |
Academic CAR‑T deployment
|
Central to ATMP trial coordination via Biocat network
|
Join us in Barcelona
If your goal is to accelerate your therapeutic pipeline, access clinical and commercial resources, or build meaningful partnerships, Advanced Therapies Europe 2025 in Barcelona delivers—all within a region pulsating with innovation and opportunity.
Ready to contribute and connect?
Get in touch to explore exhibition, sponsorship, or speaking roles.
Apply to attend
Sources
- Biocat – BioRegion of Catalonia Report
- Biocat – Catalonia ranked 6th in number of trial participations in Europe
- IBEC – International PhD Programme Fellowships
- IrsiCaixa – Phase II AELIX‑003 therapeutic HIV vaccine trial results
- SOM Biotech – AI-based approach and pipeline
- Catalonia.com – Health & Life Sciences in Catalonia overview
- Catalonia.com – Catalonia ranks 6th in Europe among countries awarded with European Research Council grants
- Catalonia.com - Catalonia’s health startups and scaleups set investment record, rising 55% from last year
- Cnag.com - https://www.cnag.eu/
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