On 17 September 2022, Bluepharma, leader of the CiNTech consortium - Technological Hub for the Innovation, Translation and Industrialisation of Complex Injectable Medicines - signed the terms of reference of the Mobilising Agenda for Business Innovation (Agendas Mobilizadoras para a Inovação Empresarial) under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência-PRR).
CiNTech aims to set up and equip the first Technological Hub devoted to the production of complex injectable drugs in Portugal, for a global investment of 30 million euros, corresponding to an incentive of about 21 million euros. Alongside Bluepharma, the consortium also includes the University of Coimbra, the Iberian Institute of Nanotechnology (INL), and three SMEs (Biotrend, JPM and Joinsteel).
“We want to attract the best in the world to manufacture in Portugal” Sérgio Simões, Bluepharma's vicepresident, underscored at the presentation of the consortium's project, last Saturday, during the signing ceremony of 18 new contracts.
The session was chaired by the Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa, and was attended by the Minister of Economy and Sea, António Costa Silva, the Deputy Minister of Economy, João Neves, and the Chairman of Bluepharma, Paulo Barradas Rebelo.
"This programme is truly a springboard for the transformation of the Portuguese economy. Eighteen new contracts were signed, which, added to the 13 on going, involve 756 companies and 86 entities from the scientific community", said the Prime Minister, stressing that "by 2030, these Agendas should make a strong contribution to boost exports of goods and services, to significantly increase investment in R&D and to reduce CO2 emissions".
The Mobilising Agenda for Business Innovation will create 9,077 jobs, of which 6,230 will be highly qualified. Investment amounting to 1.3 billion euros will be made in areas as diverse as health, automotive, aeronautical and space, the economy of the sea or additive manufacturing, among others.
