Neuraxpharm was born in 2016 when Apax Partners acquired the Spanish Invent Farma, comprising Laboratorios Lesvi, Inke and Qualigen, and the German Neuraxpharm. The only production plants this pharmaceutical group has ---now owned by Permira--- are located in the Barcelona area, in Sant Joan Despí and Castellbisbal, former Laboratorios Lesvi and Inke, respectively. These factories will receive an investment of 11 million euros during 2021 to increase their capacity, updating their technology and adding new production lines. For now, the group rules out adding new plants to its portfolio.
In Sant Joan Despí, Neuraxpharm, which markets more than 100 medicines, also has offices and its only research and development (R&D) center, created last year to serve all European countries where it operates. Neuraxpharm dedicates 6% of its turnover to R&D and, currently, the Barcelona center is developing about 40 projects, focused on finding high added-value formulations.
The pharmaceutical company registered a turnover of 145 million euros in Spain during 2020, 13% more than in the previous year. Globally, sales stood at 500 million euros, with an increase of 4.6%. The group has a workforce of 900 employees, and more than half are in Spain, with 500.
Since the group's inception five years ago, Neuraxpharm has been consolidating its European platform, expanding to a total of 18 countries. Its internationalization will also be one of the main future axes, after its acquisition by the private equity firm Permira in September 2020. Belgium, the Netherlands, and Greece are the markets it plans to enter, although it also has its sights set beyond Europe, on Japan ---after the purchase of the drug Buccolam from the company Takeda---, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.