Spain Welcomes AstraZeneca’s Investment Push and Job Growth
AstraZeneca, led by President Pascal Soriot, informed Nadia Calviño, First Vice President and Minister of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, that the company plans to add 1,000 new roles in Spain by 2025 as part of its broader investment strategy.
The disclosure came during a corporate visit by Soriot and other executives to Spain, where the company outlined its data and investment plans through 2025. The message underscored AstraZeneca’s commitment to expand its presence in Spain as a hub for research and development growth on a global scale.
In 2021, AstraZeneca Spain invested more than 93 million euros in innovative projects, with 48 million allocated specifically to research and development. By 2022, the full scope of AstraZeneca’s investments in Spain, including the Ionis/Alktion portfolio, reached roughly 400 million euros, more than quadrupling the amount from the previous year.
Regarding employment, the company increased its workforce by 20 percent in 2022, reaching about 1,300 employees. The company plans to add roughly 1,000 more positions in the coming years. In clinical trials, Spain hosted around 300 studies and more than 4,500 patients in 2022.
Online with Global Health and Economic Leaders
Following the meeting, the vice president highlighted AstraZeneca’s commitment to creating quality work and to the broader wave of bold investment announcements from multinational companies across sectors in recent months.
Calviño emphasized that Spain already leads globally in clinical trials and cutting-edge treatments. She noted a pipeline of new drugs likely to reach the market in the coming years, with personalized approaches playing a key role in public health. The vice president also pointed to the pharmaceutical industry as a high-value sector contributing to Spain’s knowledge economy.
Spain’s R&D Ecosystem and Growth Prospects
According to Soriot, Spain’s R&D ecosystem is top-tier. He pledged to collaborate with the Spanish government to unlock the potential of innovative medicines as a driver of long-term economic growth. The company reaffirmed its intention to expand capabilities and continue investing in environments that foster innovation.
The discussion included a review of current and future clinical trials, with plans to increase patient access to new therapies in key areas such as oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases, respiratory conditions, vaccines, immunotherapies, and rare diseases. AstraZeneca currently oversees 179 clinical development programs, with 15 in the most advanced stages of study. The company reaffirmed its commitment to research and innovation and to making new medicines more accessible in Spain.
Suárez noted the company’s ongoing effort to strengthen health systems and ensure fair, affordable access for patients. The firm ranked highly in public health metrics in recent assessments and underscored its global responsibility in health outcomes.
Both Soriot and Suárez stressed the importance of public-private collaborations, including vaccine donation initiatives during the Covid-19 pandemic and recent partnerships such as an agreement with the United States’ VHIO to advance preclinical and translational research. They also highlighted efforts under the Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience to support resilient health delivery models.
Finally, the management team announced a new investment of 5.5 million euros dedicated to new offices and the Innovation Center in Madrid, reinforcing Spain’s position as a regional hub for life sciences and industrial innovation.