Jaume Duch, Minister for European Union and Foreign Affairs of the Government of Catalonia, visited the HIPRA Campus in Aiguaviva on Monday, the company’s facilities inaugurated last September. “HIPRA is an example of what catalan companies represent around the world: innovation, ambition and commitment. Companies like HIPRA showcase a Catalonia capable of leading strategic solutions at both the European and global levels”, said the Minister during a visit to learn first-hand about HIPRA’s commitment to strengthening the entire value chain and scientific research in Europe.

During the visit, HIPRA’s management team presented the company’s commitment to the One Health approach, which brings together human, animal and environmental health as key pillars for addressing major global health challenges. Particular emphasis was placed on cross-cutting projects carried out in collaboration with European institutions.

These include SPEEDCELL, which aims to reduce the time required to develop vaccines and other biological products in emergency situations, and LWNVIVAT, a project focused on developing a vaccine against West Nile virus. In the field of animal health, the team also highlighted VAX4ASF, a project designed to evaluate biological solutions against African swine fever (ASF).

As part of HIPRA’s commitment to supporting the primary sector and strengthening food sovereignty, the company also underlined the importance of the future EU Livestock Strategy, currently under discussion within the European institutions. The initiative seeks to address key challenges facing the livestock sector, including in Catalonia, such as generational renewal among farmers, the transition towards more sustainable production models, and enhanced animal welfare.

The EU FAB program was also presented as a key strategic initiative. Managed by the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), EU FAB has selected HIPRA as one of four European manufacturers tasked with ensuring rapid manufacturing capacity in future public health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of being able to respond swiftly without Europe depending on third countries, a need that remains highly relevant in today’s geopolitical context.

In the field of animal health, HIPRA’s management also highlighted to Minister Duch the importance of prevention and veterinary vaccination in reducing production costs by lowering disease incidence, minimizing the environmental impact of emissions, and enhancing the competitiveness of the livestock sector.

The institutional visit also highlighted HIPRA’s evolution into human health after more than 50 years of experience in animal health, marked by the development and manufacture in Europe and Spain of its COVID-19 vaccine, an important milestone in strengthening Europe’s biotechnology and manufacturing autonomy.