EIB Provides €150 Million to Fuel Alfasigma’s 2025–2027 R&D in Specialty and Rare-Disease Medicines

EIB Provides €150 Million to Fuel Alfasigma’s 2025–2027 R&D in Specialty and Rare-Disease Medicines

(IN BRIEF) The EIB has extended a €150 million loan to Alfasigma to fund its R&D efforts from 2025 to 2027, targeting new drugs in gastroenterology, hepatology, vascular medicine, rheumatology, and rare diseases. The financing, endorsed by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Alfasigma CFO Tatiana Simonelli, aims to transform scientific discoveries into patient-centric therapies and bolster Europe’s biopharma competitiveness and job creation.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 8-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Alfasigma today sealed a €150 million financing agreement to underpin the pharmaceutical group’s research and development programme from 2025 through 2027. Announced by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Alfasigma CFO Tatiana Simonelli, the loan will accelerate the creation and commercialisation of novel therapies in gastroenterology and hepatology, vascular medicine, rheumatology, and rare diseases.

By channeling EIB capital into Alfasigma’s R&D pipeline, the partnership seeks to bridge cutting-edge science and patient-focused solutions, addressing significant unmet clinical needs and delivering measurable health impacts. This initiative also aligns with the EIB’s broader mandate to fuel innovation, competitiveness, and job creation within Europe’s biopharmaceutical sector.

“This agreement underscores the EIB’s dedication to nurturing scientific breakthroughs and strengthening Europe’s life-science leadership,” said Vice-President Vigliotti. “Investing in R&D not only boosts industrial competitiveness but also brings new treatment options to patients lacking effective therapies today.”

CFO Tatiana Simonelli added, “We are thankful for the EIB’s support, which will fast-track our strategic growth in rare-disease and specialty-care research, enabling us to meet the pressing needs of the communities we serve.”

Background information

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight key priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.  The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed over 900 projects worth nearly €89 billion in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security. The EIB Group signed 99 operations totalling €10.98 billion in Italy in 2024, helping to unlock almost €37 billion of investment in the real economy. All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment. Fostering market integration and mobilising investment, the funds made available by the Group unlocked over €100 billion in new investment for Europe’s energy security in 2024 and mobilised a further €110 billion for startups and scale-ups. Around half of the EIB’s financing within the European Union is directed towards cohesion regions, where per capita income is lower than the EU average.

Alfasigma is a global pharmaceutical company founded over 75 years ago in Italy, where it is headquartered (in Bologna and Milan). The group operates in over 100 markets spanning Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. It has offices in many countries, including Italy, the United States, Spain, Germany, Mexico and China; production sites in Italy (Pomezia, Rome; Alanno, Pescara; Sermoneta, Latina; and Trezzano Rosa, Milan), Spain (Tortosa, Baix Ebre) and the United States (Shreveport, Louisiana); and research and development labs in Italy (Pomezia and Bergamo). Alfasigma employs approximately 4 000 people dedicated to research, development, production and distribution of medicinal products, contributing to its mission to provide better health and a better quality of life for patients, caregivers and healthcare providers. It focuses on three main therapeutic areas: gastroenterology, vascular and rheumatology. Its portfolio ranges from speciality care to rare disease medications and consumer health products, including nutraceuticals.

Media Contact:

Lorenzo Squintani
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+352437982528

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SOURCE: European Investment Bank