REIG JOFRE acquires Leanbio and strengthens its vertical integration in biotechnology
- The transaction positions REIG JOFRE as a biopharmaceutical company capable of covering the full life cycle of biological medicine, from active ingredient development to final injectable products under GMP standards.
- Leanbio contributes differential technological capabilities in the development, characterization and production of recombinant proteins, antibodies, plasmid DNA and RNA technologies, strengthening the Group’s value proposition.
- This milestone boosts the biotechnology ecosystem and strengthens the company’s position in the European market for biological medicines and CDMO services with growing demand.
REIG JOFRE, (BME:RJF), a biopharmaceutical company listed on the Spanish stock market’s continuous market that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes essential healthcare solutions, announces that it has consolidated its stake in Leanbio, a biotechnology company based in Barcelona dedicated to the design, development, characterization and production of biotechnology-based active pharmaceutical ingredients. REIG JOFRE’s shareholding in LEANBIO, S.L. has thus increased from the previous 47% to the current 85%, following the acquisition of equity interests from existing shareholders for a total consideration of 3.5 million euros. The remaining 15% of the share capital remains in the hands of the founding team and specialized investors, all of them committed to driving the Spanish biotechnology ecosystem.
This transaction represents a decisive strategic step in the evolution of REIG JOFRE’s business model, expanding its activity towards a biopharmaceutical structure capable of covering the research, design, process development, industrial production and scale-up phases of biological medicines. This integration positions the company as an end-to-end partner for the development of biotechnological products, a distinctive capability in the European context.
A strategic alliance that is being consolidated
The increase in REIG JOFRE’s stake in Leanbio, from 47% to 85%, has been carried out through the purchase of shares from current partners for a total consideration of 3.5 million euros. This integration builds on a strategic collaboration that began in 2018 with the creation of the joint venture Syna Therapeutics, owned 50/50 by both companies for the development of biosimilars, and on REIG JOFRE’s subsequent entry into Leanbio’s share capital with an additional 10%.
The relationship was further strengthened in 2024 with an investment of 6.6 million euros for the construction of a new GMP-certified biotech drug substance plant in Barcelona (Sant Quirze del Vallès), a facility of around 4,000 m² equipped to produce recombinant proteins, antibodies, plasmid DNA and mRNA, as well as development laboratories, scale-up areas, pilot plants and quality control facilities. The plant is expected to start operations in mid-2026 and to employ more than one hundred professionals once it reaches full capacity.
In this context, the integration of Leanbio is seen as the natural evolution of a collaboration that has been consolidated over more than six years: combining the capabilities of both companies will accelerate the time-to-market of new therapies and biosimilars, supporting customers throughout the entire process, from the laboratory to the finished product.
“This transaction is a strategic milestone for REIG JOFRE. We are strengthening our vertical integration in biotechnology and consolidating a unique platform that combines Leanbio’s expertise in the development of biotechnological active pharmaceutical ingredients with our industrial capabilities in sterile injectables. In this context, the integration of Leanbio positions us not only as a fully integrated player across the entire value chain, but also as a strategic competitor in a sector that we expect to continue growing over the next decade,” says Ignasi Biosca, CEO of REIG JOFRE.