Switzerland’s Roche Farma increased its investment in research, development and innovation (R&D&I) in Spain by 5.5% in 2022, reaching a total of 151.3 million euros. The company says this figure consolidates its commitment “to the healthcare system and research community in Spain in their joint task of seeking innovative solutions that improve patient health and quality of life”.

Clinical research received an investment of 65.9 million euros, consolidating Spain's prominence in this area. The bulk of this was spent on innovative therapies, with the Swiss company partnering with both public and private hospitals. The rest of the investment, 85.5 million euros, was allocated to innovation projects.

336 clinical trials
In 2022, Roche Farma conducted a total of 336 clinical trials in Spain, focused on 81 molecules. These involved 1,065 researchers and healthcare professionals, 177 public and private centres and 11,820 patients. More than half the trials (as many as 188) focused on oncology, centring on 39 molecules. A total of 128 health centres, 578 researchers and 8,651 patients took part.

A further 55 trials focused on 15 molecules were conducted in the area of haematology, involving 67 centres, 180 researchers and 757 patients. The remaining 93 studies were divided between immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and neuroscience. These focused on 32 molecules, being carried out at 128 centres, and involving 313 professionals and 2,412 patients.

High professional standards
The pharmaceutical company affirms that clinical trials are an “essential” tool, not only for developing new drugs, but also for providing patients with access to innovative therapies, and for enhancing the quality of the healthcare system and the research network. They explain that it is precisely “the excellent skills of healthcare professionals, the quality of the healthcare system and the commitment of the various government bodies and health authorities to clinical research and patient participation” that make Spain “one of the countries in Europe that offers the best conditions for investment in biomedical innovation and development”.

In addition to publishing these figures, the company has taken advantage of International Clinical Trials Day, which took place on 20 May to share its commitment to diversity and the inclusion of people from all racial, ethnic and gender groups in this type of trial, “given that the prognosis of diseases and responses to drugs may vary between populations”.

The platform www.ensayosclinicosroche.es, which is open to both patients and professionals, provides information on all clinical trials currently being performed in Spain. This includes details of the different phases of the research process, as well as the status of patient recruitment, exclusion criteria, details of the medicine being studied, and a summary of the results in plain language.

^{Illustration: Roche Farma}