Visit of HIPRA with the Kieny 11th promotion of LIVE
Our EMJM LIVE (Marie-Paule Kieny) cohort had the opportunity to visit HIPRA, a biopharmaceutical company based near Barcelona, focused on the development of innovative vaccines for both animal and human health. Established in 1971, HIPRA is an R&D company that controls all parts of the vaccine development life cycle from basic research to commercialisation. Its mission is based on the principle of One Health, which is the idea that human, animal, and environmental health are interconnected. Therefore, strategies to build a healthier, more sustainable world must be coordinated among these sectors.
Our visit was led by Helena Rodríguez Muñoz, a talent development technician, who presented the history and mission of HIPRA. We then heard from senior managers Rosa Collado, Xavier Gibert, and Toni Prenafeta regarding the process of vaccine development in both animal and human health. Finally, we were able to listen to Ariadna González, a young research scientist currently completing an industrial PhD, about her journey in science and HIPRA.
Two key takeaways
HIPRA successfully translates basic science to meaningful global health solutions
Many of their vaccine projects start in Barcelona’s Science Park. Here, the basic science regarding the disease model, antigens, etc is performed before moving the development to HIPRA. During our visit, we had the opportunity to see the animal health R&D department as well as the production unit. In academia, the research being done sometimes feels so far away from translation. So being at HIPRA, it was incredibly cool to see how basic science becomes impactful products and to talk to the folks who work together every day to make this happen.
HIPRA is building in Europe for Europe and the world
While many European pharmaceutical companies rely on external partners outside of Europe for parts of the vaccine development process, HIPRA has, and is continuously building, that infrastructure within Spain. For example, they recently established HIPRA Biotech Services, a CDMO working to help other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with advanced biologics. Building and leading Europe’s biopharmaceutical landscape requires not only strong science, but investment in the people and the communities that make this happen. This felt connected to EMJM LIVE’s mission of training and investing in us to become the next generation of vaccinologists who will help shape the future of vaccine research and development, both in Europe and in our world.
Thank you to everyone at HIPRA who made the visit possible. We left feeling incredibly inspired, motivated, and excited about what the future may hold.
HIPRA in Spain for global health solutions
Visit of HIPRA with the Kieny 11th promotion of LIVE
Our EMJM LIVE (Marie-Paule Kieny) cohort had the opportunity to visit HIPRA, a biopharmaceutical company based near Barcelona, focused on the development of innovative vaccines for both animal and human health. Established in 1971, HIPRA is an R&D company that controls all parts of the vaccine development life cycle from basic research to commercialisation. Its mission is based on the principle of One Health, which is the idea that human, animal, and environmental health are interconnected. Therefore, strategies to build a healthier, more sustainable world must be coordinated among these sectors.
Our visit was led by Helena Rodríguez Muñoz, a talent development technician, who presented the history and mission of HIPRA. We then heard from senior managers Rosa Collado, Xavier Gibert, and Toni Prenafeta regarding the process of vaccine development in both animal and human health. Finally, we were able to listen to Ariadna González, a young research scientist currently completing an industrial PhD, about her journey in science and HIPRA.
Two key takeaways
HIPRA successfully translates basic science to meaningful global health solutions
Many of their vaccine projects start in Barcelona’s Science Park. Here, the basic science regarding the disease model, antigens, etc is performed before moving the development to HIPRA. During our visit, we had the opportunity to see the animal health R&D department as well as the production unit. In academia, the research being done sometimes feels so far away from translation. So being at HIPRA, it was incredibly cool to see how basic science becomes impactful products and to talk to the folks who work together every day to make this happen.
HIPRA is building in Europe for Europe and the world
While many European pharmaceutical companies rely on external partners outside of Europe for parts of the vaccine development process, HIPRA has, and is continuously building, that infrastructure within Spain. For example, they recently established HIPRA Biotech Services, a CDMO working to help other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies with advanced biologics. Building and leading Europe’s biopharmaceutical landscape requires not only strong science, but investment in the people and the communities that make this happen. This felt connected to EMJM LIVE’s mission of training and investing in us to become the next generation of vaccinologists who will help shape the future of vaccine research and development, both in Europe and in our world.
Thank you to everyone at HIPRA who made the visit possible. We left feeling incredibly inspired, motivated, and excited about what the future may hold.
2026.10.09 – Kieny Prom’ M1 LIVE
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