Bial, the pharmaceutical company with headquarters in Bilbao and specialised in vaccine manufacturing and research in allergology, has purchased the Italian firm SARM (Societá Antichi Ritrovati Medicinali), a pharmaceutical company specialised in allergic immunotherapy.

The acquisition of SARM, from now on Bial-Sarm, strengthens the expansion of the allergic immunotherapy business area of the pharmaceutical firm. Consequently, Bial will be present in two of the four major European markets in allergology. Bial centralises its services for the different markets in Bilbao, where it hosts a vaccine and diagnostics manufacturing unit and a R&D centre.

SARM, specialised in the manufacturing, marketing and commercialisation of vaccines and diagnostics, is one of the main companies in the Italian market within this business area. Founded in 1924, SARM's head office is located in Rome with a staff of 25 people and a total turnover close to 3 million Euro.

According to Antonio Portela, vice president in Spain and in charge of the international business area of the Bial Group, “the acquisition of SARM is in line with BIAL's 10-year internationalisation strategy, strengthening our allergic immunotherapy activity to become an European benchmark".

Since the prevalence of allergic diseases has increased, immunotherapy has great future development prospects. The use of anti-allergic vaccines enables the modification of the allergic response and it is the only treatment method focusing on the origin of the disease and significantly improving the quality of life of allergic people.

Bial foresees the foreign market to become the growth driving force of the group in the next decade. The company is committed to growth through the European market, where major internationalisation efforts will be done and where business development in Spain is prioritised. In parallel, research on new therapeutic solutions will stand as a major cornerstone for the international expansion of the group, which foresees the marketing of some more new drugs until 2020. Currently Bial's products are present in more than 40 countries.