Extensive experience in knowledge transfer
The association between the University of Santiago de Compostela research Group BioFarma and ESTEVE, a leading pharmaceutical company, represents a qualitative leap from a collaboration of more than ten years to a public-private partnership. The creation of this Joint Unit has been thanks to the Xunta de Galicia, though the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN).
ESTEVE is a leading Spanish pharmaceutical company in the sector with a turnover of 813 million euros and an R&D investment of 74,7 million euros in 2016. Its business activity is characterized by developing open innovation models with strategic alliances and partnerships. In January 2015 the company signed a global agreement with Mundipharma Laboratories GmbH and its independent associated company, Purdue Pharmaceuticals LP, to bring to market a next generation of products for pain management.
The USC research Group BioFarma, coordinated by Dr Mabel Loza, has extensive experience in knowledge transfer. It specializes in early drug discovery, always working in collaboration with the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, and has become an international leader in this field.
Chronic Pain: a public health problem
Chronic pain is thus one of the major current public health problems, because of its worldwide prevalence and the economic, social and psychological costs involved.
Global prevalence rates
20%
(1 in 5 adults suffer chronic pain)
Annual
incidence
10%
(1 in 10 adults are diagnosed each year with chronic pain)
Our aims
Co-develop new medicines to treat chronic pain
Co-develop new studies and models in the field of pain research
Optimize R&D processes in Pharmacology to ensure effective transfer of knowledge to society
Expected Goals
The ESTEVE-USC Joint Unit expects to optimize research processes to achieve high economic, scientific, technological, social and health impacts. Its core values include the following:
Consolidation of a model R&D network in which excellence is the hallmark of the strategy used to compete at the highest scientific and technological level.
Generation of strong economic, technological, scientific, social and health impacts, through the creation of highly qualified employment, providing new solutions to a serious public health problem such as chronic pain and the development of innovative predictive technologies based on biomarkers.
Promotion of the scientific vocation of young researchers.
Generation of multidisciplinary biomedical knowledge, focused on novel mechanisms of action, to enable identification of new active molecules for pain relief.
Promotion of open innovation and co-development, sharing knowledge to obtain more effective research and faster results.
Contact
ADDRESS
CIMUS Research Center
Campus Vida s/n
E-15782 Santiago de Compostela
Spain
PHONE
(+34) 881 815 459
2014-2017
The ESTEVE-USC Joint Research Unit is co-funded by the Axencia Galega de Innovación de la Xunta de Galicia (GAIN), within the call: “Grant for research organizations in Galicia for the creation, set-up and promotion of Joint Research Units ” of the Xunta de Galicia in the framework of the Galician Research, Innovation and Growth Plan – i2C.
2017-2020
The ESTEVE-USC Joint Research Unit is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) of the European Union.
