On Friday, Health Minister Salvador Illa visited the headquarters of the Spanish multinational HIPRA, which specialises in the research, production and marketing of vaccines for animal health. After the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, as experts in vaccines for animal health, HIPRA has taken a firm step towards human health, where it knows it can contribute by providing multiple solutions thanks to its experience and knowledge.

The visit arose as a result of the Health Minister’s interest in learning about the progress HIPRA is making towards human health. Apart from visiting the facilities, the minister met with company management to discuss projects focused on this new stage. The pharmaceutical company is currently researching a new vaccine for COVID-19 by conducting two lines of research: one on its own and another in collaboration with the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona based on virus mRNA that guarantees long-term immunity.

HIPRA has a unique model and special know-how that positions it at the forefront, as it controls all the phases of vaccine creation: from research and development to production and marketing. The company highlights that it has the necessary technology for developing vaccines for the fields of both animal health and human health. In this regard, Minister Illa highlighted the potential of these innovative facilities.

Since the start of the pandemic, the multinational has made itself available to health authorities, carrying out various altruistic actions such as processing PCR tests for health centres. In addition, its Diagnos España centre was accredited as a clinical analysis laboratory to provide services to health centres, occupational hazard prevention departments and companies. Minister Illa thanked HIPRA for its willingness since the start of the pandemic.