Ensuring the availability of medicines for all is key: We are part of the Critical Medicines Alliance

We are proud to announce our membership in the Critical Medicines Alliance, a crucial initiative to prevent shortages of critical medicines in the European Union, thanks to our position as one of the leading producers of the active ingredient in heparin. Heparin is the world’s primary anticoagulant for the prevention and treatment of thrombosis, saving around 100 million lives annually.

Since our founding in 1975, we have recognized that heparin is an essential active medication for human health, indispensable for offering the highest guarantees of safety and quality. Therefore, all our activities have a positive impact on human health.

The journey of heparin from the animal source to the patient involves several critical stages that highlight the importance of controlling the value chain:

     1. Sourcing
     2. Extraction and Processing
     3. Quality Control
     4. Manufacturing
     5. Distribution
     6. Regulation and Compliance
 

We accomplish all of this thanks to our passion for life sciences and our track record of over 45 years. We are a global leader in the production of this active ingredient with the highest standards of quality, traceability, and safety. We are honored to be a key strategic partner, with various international pharmaceutical companies relying on our expertise and knowledge.

Through our commitment to human health and our mission to prevent and combat shortages of critical medicines, we have joined forces with the European Commission to strengthen the supply of essential medicines like heparin. Our membership underscores the company’s importance in the health sector and its commitment to the safety and availability of essential medicines for the population.

The Critical Medicines Alliance is established as a consultative mechanism that brings together various stakeholders, including the European Commission, EU institutions, competent authorities of the Member States, industry, and civil society. Its main focus is to strengthen cooperation and coordination to ensure a stable supply of critical medicines in the region.

This alliance is based on the European Critical Medicines List, prepared by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and will focus on medicines with a high risk of shortage and significant impact on health systems and patients. Through collaboration and the exchange of experiences, this alliance will seek to address vulnerabilities in supply chains and propose recommendations to mitigate risks, strengthen supply security, and promote industrial competitiveness in the EU.

Recognized for our role in the manufacture of active ingredients like heparin, we have been accepted into this alliance, represented by Luisa Salazar, Head of Regulatory Affairs, and Javier Velasco, Phd R&D and Quality Director. The initial duration of the alliance will be five years, with activities expected to begin in the second quarter of 2024 following the adoption of internal regulations.

This union is a significant step toward ensuring a stable and secure supply of critical medicines in the European Union. This strategic collaboration will not only enhance the capacity to respond to health emergencies but also contribute to the development of effective policies for the critical medicines sector, benefiting the European citizenry as a whole. Our active participation in this alliance ensures a promising future in improving the availability and quality of essential medicines for public health.

As an essential company, our goal is to make demand more predictable, diversify supply chains, and promote local manufacturing. We firmly believe that collaboration and joint action are key to addressing challenges in healthcare.