The Minister of Health, Mónica García, has announced that the vaccine against Covid-19 developed by the pharmaceutical company Hipra will be part of the Spanish vaccination campaign 2025-2026, thus consolidating a decisive step towards national biotechnological autonomy.
During a visit to the Hipra campus in Aiguaviva (Girona), García confirmed that the drug, produced entirely in Spain and adapted to the LP.8.1 variant, will have one million doses available. The Health Minister stressed that the vaccine will be officially included in the national plan after its approval by the Council of Ministers next week.
“Soon we will be able to have it because next week it will go to the Council of Ministers and it will be available. We have been waiting a long time for this vaccine to be available because, I insist, I believe it is a source of pride for Spain, for our country, for innovation, for our own production,” the minister said.
Hipra: scientific innovation with a Spanish seal
The Hipra vaccine, developed by the Catalan biotechnology company of the same name, represents one of the most important bets of the national health sector. Manufactured in Spain, it has been specifically designed to deal with the new variants of the coronavirus, in this case LP.8.1, one of the most recent and most widespread in Europe.
The project is part of the strategy to strengthen national pharmaceutical production, promoted by the Ministry of Health. García pointed out that Hipra is “an example to follow at the national and international level” and stressed the importance of having an industry capable of competing with the large international laboratories. “It is a source of pride that a Spanish industry has been able to develop such a vaccine and compete head to head with the large pharmaceutical companies,” said García.
A European contract to support the project
In early October, the European Commission signed a framework contract with Hipra for the acquisition of up to four million doses over two years, a measure that consolidates the recognition of the scientific and productive potential of the Catalan company at the international level.
This European agreement not only strengthens Hipra’s presence in the global market, but also places Spain among the countries with the greatest capacity to respond to future health crises, reducing dependence on external suppliers.
The commitment to an industry with “the entire value chain”.
During her visit, the Minister of Health insisted on the importance of Spanish industry taking on the entire biomedical development process, from research to commercialization. García stressed that “the industry must carry out the entire value chain”, a process which, she explained, covers “from research to development, innovation and commercialization”.
For the government, Hipra is a model of public-private collaboration that can serve as a reference to strengthen the country’s health autonomy and prepare for possible future epidemics or pandemics.
The Hipra campus: a European benchmark in biotechnology
The Hipra campus in Aiguaviva, with a surface area of 114,000 square meters, is consolidating its position as one of the main biotechnology hubs in Europe. Its modern facilities are used to develop human and veterinary vaccines, as well as high-tech products for the health and pharmaceutical sectors.
The complex represents an investment of more than 500 million euros and is destined to become one of the most important engines of scientific innovation on the continent.
According to the company, the campus will generate more than 1,000 direct jobs and 2,000 indirect jobs, boosting the economic development of the region and strengthening the industrial fabric linked to healthcare. The vice-president of Hipra, Mar Nogareda, emphasized that the Minister’s visit “highlights the efforts made in Spain to guarantee the capacity to respond to global health challenges”.
A boost to Spanish health sovereignty
With the incorporation of Hipra’s vaccine into the 2025-26 vaccination plan, Spain takes an important step towards pharmaceutical independence and national scientific innovation.
Domestic production capacity will not only allow a faster response to new health threats, but also reduce dependence on international pharmaceutical companies, a problem that became evident during the pandemic.
In addition, the commitment to national research reinforces Spain’s position within the European innovation ecosystem, consolidating its role as a benchmark in biotechnology applied to public health.
