Faes Farma
Corporate brand
UnclaimedFaes Farma is a Spanish pharmaceutical company with businesses in human medicines, ophthalmology, and animal nutrition and health.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Faes Farma, originally known as Fábrica Española de Productos Químicos y Farmacéuticos, is a Spanish pharmaceutical company founded in 1933 by the Serra family. Its principal base is in Lamiaco, in the municipality of Leioa in Biscay, where the group has historically concentrated its headquarters, manufacturing operations, and research and development activities. It also maintains offices in Madrid and Barcelona and operates through subsidiaries and commercial organizations across the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America, Italy, and Nigeria. The company began as a chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturer during a period when Spain was developing domestic production capabilities. Its original plant produced mineral-derived materials including bismuth salts, chlorides, and yellow mercury oxide. Early medical work addressed diseases and conditions that were significant in Spain at the time, including syphilis, recurrent fevers, and Malta fever. NEO-FAES, an arsenobenzene medicine, became an early commercial success, and during the post-Civil War autarky period FAES was described as Spain’s only producer of arsenobenzene-based antisyphilitic products. The company subsequently marketed products such as SULFO-FAES, CALCIO-FAES, and URO-FAES. During the 1940s, FAES expanded its chemical and pharmaceutical range to include sulfonamides, arsenic compounds, saccharin, and barium salts used in radiology. It also produced agricultural chemicals in the 1950s and 1960s, including herbicidal and pesticidal compounds. From the 1970s onward, however, the group increasingly concentrated on pharmaceuticals and built a broad portfolio spanning several therapeutic areas. In 1978 it synthesized hydrosmin, later marketed as Verosmil, marking an important contribution to its vascular-medicine activities. The group began developing a more international and diversified structure in the 1990s through alliances and overseas commercial operations. In 2007 it entered animal nutrition and health through the acquisition of Ingaso. Further expansion in this field followed with the purchases of Initial Technical Foods and Tecnovit in 2017. These activities operate under the FARM Faes name and complement the company’s human-health business. Manufacturing remains central to Faes Farma’s identity. The historic Lamiaco complex consists of production and office buildings developed from the 1930s through the 1970s. In 2024 the company completed a large new facility at the Bizkaia Science and Technology Park in Derio. The plant was designed to expand production capacity, incorporate logistics automation, and support a gradual transfer of activities from Lamiaco. It received European authorization as a pharmaceutical laboratory and production center in January 2025. In June 2025 Faes Farma strengthened its ophthalmology platform through the acquisitions of Portuguese specialist Edol and Italian ophthalmic company SIFI. The transactions broadened the group’s geographical reach and raised ophthalmology to a significant share of group revenue. The company therefore combines an established Spanish pharmaceutical base with international commercialization, contract and internal manufacturing capabilities, animal nutrition, and a growing ophthalmology franchise.
History
Faes Farma was established on 29 July 1933 as Fábrica Española de Productos Químicos y Farmacéuticos. Founded by the Serra family with initial capital of two million pesetas, it became one of the important chemical and pharmaceutical enterprises in Biscay. Its first plant, covering approximately 4,000 square metres beside the Ibaizábal River in Lamiaco, processed minerals from Córdoba and Almadén into pharmaceutical and industrial chemicals. The company’s early therapeutic activities were shaped by the infectious diseases and public-health needs of the period. NEO-FAES, based on neoarsenobenzol, was an early flagship medicine and reportedly sold 300,000 units during its first year. In the economic autarky that followed the Spanish Civil War, FAES supplied arsenobenzole and related arsenical products domestically, marketing lines including SULFO-FAES, CALCIO-FAES, and URO-FAES. These products were associated with the treatment of syphilis and other infectious conditions before later therapeutic advances displaced many older arsenical medicines. During the 1940s, FAES broadened its production to sulfopyridine, sulfathiazole, arsenoxide, saccharin, and barium salts used in radiology. In the 1950s and 1960s it also produced agricultural chemicals, including herbicides and pesticides. From the 1970s, the company progressively refocused on medicines. It manufactured a wide range of products across therapeutic categories and in 1978 synthesized hydrosmin, a compound marketed as Verosmil and associated with venous and vascular treatment. The group pursued international alliances and commercial expansion during the 1990s. It later diversified beyond human pharmaceuticals. In 2007 it acquired Ingaso, entering animal nutrition and health. The business was subsequently expanded through the 2017 acquisitions of Initial Technical Foods and Tecnovit and was organized under the FARM Faes name. Faes Farma’s physical footprint also evolved. The original Lamiaco complex was built in stages from the 1930s through the 1970s. Its architectural development included work by Enrique Belda, Rafael Fontán, Pedro Ispizua Susunaga, Gregorio Viteli, and Francisco Javier Ispizua Uribarri. The buildings are arranged as production and administrative pavilions around internal courtyards and plazas. A major modern manufacturing project was completed in Derio in 2024. The approximately 60,000-square-metre facility was intended to double production capacity, with potential for further expansion. Its design combines manufacturing space with a substantially larger logistics area, including a robotic warehouse. After receiving European authorization in January 2025, the site began a planned, gradual transfer of activities from Lamiaco, with the transition scheduled to continue through 2027. In June 2025 Faes Farma made its largest reported acquisition by purchasing Edol in Portugal for €75 million and SIFI in Italy for €270 million. The deals materially increased the group’s ophthalmology presence and were expected to make eye care a substantially larger contributor to revenue. Together with its Spanish manufacturing base, international subsidiaries, animal-health division, and expanding specialty portfolio, these moves positioned Faes Farma as a diversified European and Latin American healthcare group.
- 2025
European authorization granted for Derio site
[1]The Derio facility received authorization to operate as a pharmaceutical laboratory and production center.
- 2025
Ophthalmology acquisitions completed
[1]Faes Farma acquired Edol in Portugal and SIFI in Italy, creating a larger international ophthalmology platform.
- 2024
Derio manufacturing facility completed
[1]The group completed a new production and logistics complex at the Bizkaia Science and Technology Park.
- 2017
Animal-health portfolio expanded
[1]Faes Farma acquired Initial Technical Foods and Tecnovit, strengthening its animal nutrition and health operations.
- 2007
Entry into animal nutrition and health
[1]The acquisition of Ingaso diversified the group into animal nutrition and health.
- 1978
Hydrosmin synthesized
[1]Faes Farma synthesized hydrosmin, subsequently marketed in the Verosmil product line.
- 1940
Expansion into sulfonamides and radiology chemicals
[1]During the 1940s, FAES added sulfopyridine, sulfathiazole, arsenoxide, saccharin, and barium salts to its activities.
- 1933
Company founded in Biscay
[1]The Serra family founded Fábrica Española de Productos Químicos y Farmacéuticos, later known as Faes Farma, on 29 July 1933.
- 1930
Initial Lamiaco plant begins operations
[1]The company established its original manufacturing complex in Lamiaco, producing pharmaceutical and industrial chemicals from mineral materials.
Products and positioning
A Spanish pharmaceutical manufacturer and international healthcare group combining human medicines, specialty and ophthalmology products, domestic production infrastructure, and an animal nutrition and health division.
Historical anti-infective medicine · 1933
NEO-FAES
NEO-FAES was an early flagship product based on neoarsenobenzol. It was introduced during the company’s first years and became an important commercial product for treating infectious diseases, particularly syphilis, before newer therapies superseded arsenical medicines.
Historical anti-infective medicine
SULFO-FAES
SULFO-FAES was part of the sulfonamide and arsenical medicine range developed and marketed during the company’s early decades. It represented Faes Farma’s role in supplying domestically produced anti-infective treatments during Spain’s autarky period.
Historical pharmaceutical product
CALCIO-FAES
CALCIO-FAES was one of the branded products in Faes Farma’s early pharmaceutical portfolio. Available reference material identifies it as part of the company’s prewar and postwar therapeutic range but does not provide sufficient detail on its formulation or current commercial status.
Historical pharmaceutical product
URO-FAES
URO-FAES formed part of the company’s early branded medicine portfolio. It illustrates the broad therapeutic positioning of FAES during the period when the company was expanding domestic production of chemical and pharmaceutical compounds.
Vascular medicine · 1978
Verosmil
Verosmil is the product associated with Faes Farma’s hydrosmin development. Hydrosmin was synthesized by the company in 1978 and became a notable part of its vascular-health and venous-medicine activities.
Animal nutrition and health · 2007
FARM Faes
FARM Faes is the group’s animal nutrition and health division. It was built through acquisitions and provides the corporate home for activities serving animal nutrition, technical feed applications, and related animal-health markets.
Ophthalmology
Edol portfolio
The Edol portfolio entered Faes Farma through the 2025 acquisition of the Portuguese ophthalmology specialist. The transaction expanded the group’s eye-care products and its presence in Portuguese and international ophthalmic markets.
Ophthalmology
SIFI portfolio
The SIFI portfolio entered the group through the 2025 acquisition of the Italian ophthalmic company. It gives Faes Farma a broader specialist platform in eye care and supports the company’s strategy of increasing ophthalmology’s contribution to the business.
Brand decisions
2025
Acquisition of Edol and SIFIM&ABackground
Faes Farma identified ophthalmology as a strategic growth area and sought to increase its specialist and international healthcare exposure.
Action taken
The group acquired Portuguese ophthalmology specialist Edol and Italian ophthalmic company SIFI.
Aftermath
The transactions formed a significantly larger ophthalmology platform and made eye care a substantially more important contributor to group revenue.
Reported acquisition consideration. €75 million for Edol; €270 million for SIFI (June 2025)
2024
Construction of the Derio production centerStrategyBackground
Faes Farma needed additional manufacturing and logistics capacity to support growth and modernize its production footprint.
Action taken
The group completed a new 60,000-square-metre facility at the Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, with automated logistics and capacity intended to at least double existing production.
Aftermath
The site received European authorization in January 2025, and operations were scheduled to transfer progressively from Lamiaco through 2027.
Reported construction investment. €200 million (2024)
2017
Expansion of animal nutrition and healthM&ABackground
Faes Farma continued developing the animal-health business created through the Ingaso acquisition.
Action taken
The company acquired Initial Technical Foods and Tecnovit.
Aftermath
The acquisitions strengthened the FARM Faes division and expanded its technical and commercial capabilities in animal nutrition.
2007
Acquisition of IngasoM&ABackground
Faes Farma sought to diversify beyond human pharmaceuticals and enter the animal nutrition and health sector.
Action taken
The group acquired Ingaso and established the basis for its FARM Faes animal nutrition and health activities.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened Faes Farma’s business scope and created a platform that was later expanded through further acquisitions.
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