Know how R&D at the service of Spanish medicine cabinets The Navarran municipality of Olloqui, ness diversification. The company began the group allocated more than €70 million with just over 1,100 inhabitants, is home its activities with over-the-counter medi- to R&D and carried out more than 185,000 to one of the two production plants be- cines such as Respibien, and gradually ex- quality tests, a figure that helps make it the longing to the pharmaceutical company panded its product range to areas including most popular company among Spaniards: Cinfa, where the company inaugurated its orthopaedics, oncology, transplants, der- before reaching homes, every Cinfa med- new Neo Warehouse last year. mopharmacy, nutrition and generic medi- icine undergoes more than thirty quality This 14,400-square-metre facility will cines, its most important line. The decision controls. enable Cinfa to double its production ca- to pursue this type of drug was madein pacity to 200 million medicines per year. 1994: after four years of development, in International expansion Its construction represents a milestone for 1998, Cinfa launched its first generic drugs While its roots are firmly planted in Spain, both the municipalityand the cmpnyoa, (Ranitidine and Diclofenac). Cinfa has taken its pharmaceutical lead- which has more than half a century of ex- Cinfa’s production capacity consists of ership overseas. The company, which cur- perience. The new plant, which involved four manufacturing plants and two R&D rently operates in more than 100 countries an investment of €40 million and directly centres in Spain. Cinfa initially plans to worldwide, intensified its international ex- employs 160 professionals, operates under concentrate the production of fifteen med- pansion in 2014 with the help of local part- the Industry 4.0 concept: all production icines at the Neo facility, including those ners who facilitated its entry into markets systems are digitised, integrated and au- linked to conditions including hyperten- including in the Middle East, enabling it tomated, resulting in the highest guaran- sion, venous insufficiency, rheumatoid ar- to sell its medicines in Dubai, Kuwait and tees of pharmaceutical quality. thritis and migraines, among others. Saudi Arabia. Spanish innovation The most popular pharma The group has also expanded abroad with the acquisition of three companies: Cinfa was founded in 1964, when a group In 2011, the pharmaceutical group became in 2017, it acquired Natural Santé, Sakura of pharmacists created Infarco, its par- the leader in terms of the number of its Italia and Orliman, strengtening its pres-h ent company. In 1969, it opened its first medicines dispensed in Spanish pharma- ence in southern Europe. This growth has plant in Berrioplano, Navarre. Since then, cies, a title that Cinfa still holds today. enabled Cinfa to create more than 1,200 it has been based on two cornerstones: its Innovation and development have jobs over the last decade, bringing its total commitment to reinvestment and busi- been key to Cinfa’s success. In 2024 alone, workforce to more than 2,300 employees. 16