What Grupo Ferrer Internacional does

Grupo Ferrer Internacional is a privately held Spanish pharmaceutical group founded in 1959 and headquartered in Barcelona. The company manufactures, distributes, and sells medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, fine chemicals, and feed ingredients, distributing its products through standard healthcare channels including pharmacies, hospitals, and specialty pharmacies following regulatory approval. Its commercial portfolio spans established therapeutic categories while its R&D pipeline focuses on rare neurodegenerative diseases.

Ferrer's clinical pipeline is anchored by two investigational central nervous system assets: pridopidine, a sigma-1 receptor agonist being co-developed with Prilenia Therapeutics for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — currently in the pivotal PREVAiLS Phase 3 study following FDA clearance announced in December 2025 — and FNP-223, a novel compound for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) being evaluated in the PROSPER Phase II trial, which completed enrollment of 220 patients in October 2025, two months ahead of schedule across sites in the EU, UK, and US.

Ferrer's commercial revenue model is typical of mid-sized specialty pharma: products are sold through prescription and institutional healthcare channels at regulated prices, with revenue mechanics dependent on regulatory approval, formulary inclusion, and reimbursement across the markets it serves. The company holds ISO 37001 anti-bribery certification, is the highest-rated B Corp pharmaceutical company globally, and was the sole Spanish pharmaceutical company recognized by Ethisphere among the World's Most Ethical Companies for 2026. Mario Rovirosa serves as Chief Executive Officer.

Name

Grupo Ferrer Internacional

Website

https://ferrer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Grupo Ferrer Internacional is a privately held Spanish pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and distributes medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, fine chemicals, and feed ingredients, with a clinical pipeline focused on rare neurodegenerative diseases including ALS and PSP.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Neurological therapeutics
• Clinical drug development
• Rare disease treatments
• Pharmaceutical distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Core offering

Grupo Ferrer Internacional manufactures, distributes, and sells medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, fine chemicals, and feed ingredients. The company's current strategic focus is on developing and commercialising therapeutic candidates for rare neurological disorders, with Pridopidine (a sigma-1 receptor agonist in Phase 3 for ALS) and FNP-223 (a novel compound in Phase 2 for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy) representing its key late-stage pipeline assets developed in partnership with Prilenia Therapeutics and other collaborators.

Product overview

Grupo Ferrer Internacional is a Spanish pharmaceutical company headquartered in Barcelona. The company's product portfolio consists of investigational drug candidates in various stages of clinical development, including Pridopidine (Phase 3 for ALS via the PREVAiLS pivotal study) and FNP-223 (Phase 2 for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy via the PROSPER study). These therapeutic candidates represent Ferrer's pipeline of central nervous system treatments developed in collaboration with partners such as Prilenia Therapeutics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pridopidine Investigational sigma-1 receptor agonist drug candidate for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), currently in pivotal Phase 3 clinical development via the PREVAiLS study following FDA clearance. Phase 2 subgroup analyses from the HEALEY ALS Platform trial indicated potential benefits in disease progression, speech, and survival. Developed in partnership with Prilenia Therapeutics.
• FNP-223 Novel investigational compound being developed for the treatment of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare neurodegenerative disorder affecting movement, balance, and eye movement. Enrolled 220 patients in the PROSPER Phase II trial across the EU, UK, and US, completing recruitment in 14 months — two months ahead of schedule.
• Pharmaceutical product portfolio (medicines, diagnostics, vaccines) Commercial portfolio of medicines, diagnostics, and vaccines manufactured and distributed by Ferrer for sale to hospitals, pharmacies, specialty pharmacies, and healthcare systems following regulatory approval. Founded in 1959, the company has an established pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution operation in Spain.
• Fine chemicals and feed ingredients Fine chemicals and feed ingredients manufactured and sold by Ferrer as part of its diversified pharmaceutical and life sciences product portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 220 patients enrolled in PROSPER Phase II trial within 14 months, two months ahead of schedule
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Prilenia Therapeutics B.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Ferrer and Prilenia announced FDA clearance to begin the PREVAiL S pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of pridopidine for early, rapidly progressive ALS. The collaboration aims to confirm Phase 2 data showing potential benefits in disease progression, speech, and survival, based on subgroup analyses from the HEALEY ALS Platform trial. Recruitment is planned for early 2026 in the US and other regions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UCB: Belgian specialty pharmaceutical company with a strong neurology and CNS pipeline focus. Comparable European specialty pharma with significant R&D investment in CNS indications.
• Biohaven Pharmaceutical: Specialty pharmaceutical company focused on CNS and neurological disorders with novel therapeutic candidates. Directly comparable in CNS innovation profile and orphan neurology focus.
• Grifols: Spanish pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company headquartered near Barcelona with global manufacturing and distribution operations. Comparable diversified pharma model with focus on plasma-derived and specialty therapeutics.
• Almirall: Barcelona-based Spanish pharmaceutical company of comparable scale and focus on specialty care. Closest direct peer given shared geography, employee range, and European specialty pharma positioning.
• Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma: Japanese pharmaceutical company with established ALS franchise (Radicava/edaravone). Directly comparable as a competing ALS therapeutic developer with regulatory approvals in this space.
• Laboratorios Esteve: Privately-held Spanish pharmaceutical company with similar size, specialty pharma focus, and CNS pipeline development. Closely matches Ferrer's profile as a mid-sized, family-controlled Spanish innovator.

Broad incumbents

• Biogen: Large multinational biopharmaceutical company with established presence in ALS (Spinraza) and broader neurology franchise. Competes with Ferrer in the same therapeutic categories but operates globally with broader portfolio.
• Roche: Global pharmaceutical company with active ALS pipeline (including antisense oligonucleotide programs) and broad neuroscience presence. Competitor in the same therapeutic categories but operates at much larger scale.
• Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Specialty pharmaceutical company with established neurology franchise and CNS pipeline assets. Comparable in CNS specialty pharma positioning but operates at larger scale across multiple therapeutic areas.

Others

• Prilenia Therapeutics: Co-development partner on the pridopidine ALS program and clinical-stage CNS company. Relevant peer for comparison on the specific asset but operates as a development partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ferrerforgood
• Facebookfacebook.com/omegafort
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grupo-ferrer-internacional

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grupo Ferrer Internacional