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Sodena started out in the biotechnology field in 1996 when it took a stake in Laboratorios Cinfa. It provided support for the launch of a market – generic medicines – that was new for Spain and unique in Navarre, laying the basis for what is now a solid reality that is recognised nationally and internationally. This was a major milestone for Sodena and contributed, once again, to the learning curve and knowledge associated with innovative business models. Sodena has supported these from a very early stage, but also those with high potential for growth, as the passage of time has shown.
Biotechnology is now a strategic sector for Sodena. Among its different fields, one of the most important sub-sectors is human health and, basically, the development of new drugs.
The self-governing region of Navarra is also one of the Spanish regions with the highest level of business activity in the pharmaceuticals sector. It has over 1,500 people working in this area together with universities and technology centres, making Navarra a region that is widely recognised for its talent and the high technological value it contributes to the sector. In this respect, Navarre is the Spanish region with the highest number of patents per capita, according to the latest study carried out in 2011.
CINFA’s experience, in addition to contributing to one of Sodena’s objectives – financial profitability in order to maintain the capacity for self-finance – represented a basis on which the future development of the sector could be built. This is now a reality and one of the distinguishing features of our region’s business fabric.
Carlos Fernández Valdivielso
Managing Director, Sodena
