OSASUNBERRI, a project to strengthen the health industry sector in the Basque Country

  • The OSASUNBERRI project has the outstanding support of the Basque Government’s Department of Economic Development.
  • The aim of the project is to build a close, efficient and comprehensive health sector in the Basque Country, based on the Km 0 philosophy.

Zamudio, 20 July, 2022. The official signing of the Basque Government’s support for the OSASUNBERRI project took place today, Wednesday, at the Zamudio Technology Park, with the participation of Estibaliz Hernáez Laviña, Deputy Minister of Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation of the Basque Government, Asier Albizu, General Manager of BIOLAN Microbiosensores S.L and coordinator of the OSASUNBERRI project, and representatives of all the entities participating in the project. The aim of the OSASUNBERRI project is to strengthen the health sector in the Basque Country and build a close, efficient and comprehensive sector based on the Km 0 philosophy, capable of dealing with situations such as the pandemic that is still with us today and others in the future. 

This project arises from the need to work in collaboration to overcome the limitations of tackling the challenges faced by the health sector individually. Working in cooperation will enable leading Basque entities in the sector to achieve a common goal: to develop an R&D strategy that will enable them to advance the state of the art and equip themselves with the necessary capabilities to overcome current barriers and challenges and thus strengthen the health value chain in the Basque Country from Km 0.

With this common objective in mind, OSASUNBERRI acts in four areas of action: tests, therapy, assistance and digital connection. OSASUNTEST aims to obtain different tests. To this end, it has R&D platforms for the development of technological solutions and manufacturing capacities for new diagnostic tests. The second area OSASUNTHERAPY addresses the application of different therapies and focuses on the implementation of the R&D capabilities necessary for the development of pharmaceutical and microbiological drugs, as well as the development of cellular or rehabilitative therapies. OSASUNASSISTANCE develops post-COVID pilot spaces and increases the level of digitalisation of healthcare and promotes innovation platforms. Finally, the OSASUNCONNECT area monitors competitive trends, the protection of intellectual property, eco-design and the integration of digitalised systems.

The OSASUNBERRI collaborative initiative brings together 17 companies, of which 15 are SMEs and 2 are large pharmaceutical corporations, 5 healthcare institutions, 3 scientific-technological entities and 2 sectoral associations: BIOLAN Microbiosensores S.L. (leader), Asebio, Clínica Asunción, Basque Health Cluster, Biolan Health, C4E Consulting Services, CIC bioGUNE, Cinfa, Dhemen, Faes Farma, Galbaian, Gogoa, Hermanas Hospitalarias Aita Menni, Histocell, Ikerlat, Clínica IMQ Zorrotzaurre, Innoprot, Larrañaga Plásticos, Lazpiur, Mikrobiomik, Mizar, Naru, P4Q, Quiron Salud, Tecnalia, Tekniker and Vithas. The 27 participating entities contribute their capabilities in research and technological development, industrial design, manufacturing, certification, intellectual protection, technological surveillance, promotion and dissemination to achieve a viable and efficient solution for situations of maximum social interest such as the current one.

The Basque Government’s support, signed today, focuses on the first phase of the project that has been implemented by the Basque actors of the OSASUNBERRI initiative since March 2022, and which will end in December of this year. A total of 23 entities will benefit from this aid, which will collaborate by pooling their experience in order to achieve close, efficient, comprehensive and sustainable management of current needs in the field of health.

The project is one of the priority projects in the Basque Country’s Strategic Investment Plan 2022-2024, with which the Basque Government aims to boost the Euskadi Next Programme with its own resources, without waiting to receive the Next Generation Funds, in component 1 dedicated to Health and Personal Care.