New loan to Grifols to support its research on rare and chronic diseases
The European Investment Bank (EIB i) and Grifols signed today an €85 million loan to support the company’s research, development and innovation (RDI) initiatives focused on investigating new treatments for plasma-derived protein therapies to treat rare and chronic diseases. The agreement is backed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI i). The EFSI is the central pillar of the Investment Plan for Europe, commonly known as the “Juncker Plan” i.
The loan agreement will strengthen Grifols' research efforts aimed at improving the health and quality of life of patients, as well as drive innovation in the medical-research field throughout the European Union. Moreover, it will contribute to fostering high-skill employment and bioscientific research within the network of universities, hospitals and research centers that collaborate with Grifols.
The loan offers several favourable financial conditions, including a fixed interest rate, maturity date in 2027 and a two-year grace period.
The agreement represents the second EIB loan conceded to Grifols under the umbrella of the Investment Plan for Europe, following the first one signed in 2015 when Grifols became one of the first European companies to receive funding from the Juncker Plan. With this second loan, the company builds on its positive initial experience and consolidates its relationship with the institution, which it highly values as a complementary source of funding for its RDI projects.
As a leading-edge innovator in the global healthcare sector, Grifols channels substantial resources toward both in-house and external RDI projects. As of 30 September, 2017, the company had allocated €201.6 million in net investments in RDI, denoting a 23.8% increase compared to the same period last year. This upward trend in research spending is a clear testament to the company’s efforts in this area.
Background
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It makes long-term financing available for sound investments to contribute towards EU policy goals.
The Investment Plan for Europe, known as the “Juncker Plan,” is one of the European Commission’s top priorities. It centers its efforts on promoting investments that spur job creation and economic growth through a more intelligent use of new and existing financial resources. At the same time, it aims to eliminate investment obstacles, and offer better visibility and technical assistance to EU investment projects.
The European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) is the main pillar of the “Juncker Plan.” By offering guarantees for first losses, the EFSI enables the EIB to increase its investments in projects that traditionally carry a higher degree of risk. The EFSI’s efforts have already translated into tangible results. According to forecasts, the projects and agreements approved for funding within the EFSI framework will mobilize more than €250 billion in investments, and support the approximately 528,000 SMEs currently operating in the 28 Member States.
Grifols is a global healthcare company founded in 1940. Grifols has over 75 years improving people’s health and wellbeing through the development of life-saving plasma medicines, diagnostics systems, and hospital pharmacy products.
The company is present in more than 100 countries worldwide and headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. Grifols is a leader in plasma collection with a network of close to 180 plasma donor centers, and a leading producer of plasma-derived biological medicines. The company also provides a comprehensive range of transfusion medicine, hemostasis, and immunoassay solutions for clinical laboratories, blood banks and transfusion centers, and is a recognized leader in transfusion medicine.
In 2016, sales exceeded €4,000 million with a headcount of nearly 15,000 employees. Grifols demonstrates its commitment to advancing healthcare by allocating a significant portion of its annual income to R&D.
The company class A shares are listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange, where they are part of the Ibex-35 (MCE: GRF). Its non-voting class B shares are listed on the Mercado Continuo (MCE: GRF.P). For more information visit www.grifols.com.