The Government of La Rioja has announced the construction of a new clinical trials unit against the cancer in northern Spain. It will be located in the building of the Biomedical Research Centre of La Rioja (CIBIR). The project will be carried out thanks to an agreement between the Government of La Rioja, the Rioja Health Foundation and The START Center for Cancer Research. The latter is a world leader in early-stage clinical trials.
Cancer clinical trials in La Rioja in 2025
According to government information, the new clinical trials unit will begin operating in 2025. It will provide healthcare to more than 4 million people. It will also be a reference centre for cancer patients from La Rioja, Aragon, Cantabria, Asturias, Castile and Leon, Navarre and the Basque Country.
Patients from La Rioja and those referred by the oncology services of these autonomous communities will be able to access innovative treatments in La Rioja. This will improve their quality of life and increase their chances of recovery. It will also encourage the development of new therapeutic alternatives.
The presentation was attended by the Minister of Health and Social Policies, María Martín; the managing director of the Rioja Health Foundation, Juan Carlos Oliva; the director of Research at CIBIR, Dr. Eduardo Mirpuri; and the president of START Europe, Dr. Emiliano Calvo.
A pioneering step in the fight against cancer
During the presentation, Councillor María Martín highlighted the importance of this new unit for La Rioja. “The creation of the clinical trials unit with innovative medicines in our region will position La Rioja at the forefront of both research and the development of new cancer treatments,” she said. Martín stressed that clinical trials are “fundamental and essential” for developing new therapies and improving the quality of life of cancer patients.
The new unit will allow for the treatment of cancer patients referred from oncology services, both in La Rioja and nearby communities. Until now, the closest public centres were in Madrid and Barcelona. This meant significant travel for patients from the region and its surroundings.
An integrated research ecosystem in La Rioja
María Martín stressed that the creation of this unit will strengthen the relationship between health and research institutions in La Rioja. It will form an ecosystem that will include the San Pedro University Hospital, the Calahorra Hospital, the CIBIR and the Faculty of Health Sciences. This collaboration will also allow the number of places in the Nursing Degree to be increased. In addition, a new Degree in Medicine is planned to be implemented.
Ten years of innovation in cancer treatments
For his part, Juan Carlos Oliva, managing director of the Rioja Health Foundation, said that the collaboration with START will extend for the next 10 years. This alliance will be key for oncological research in La Rioja. “The partnership with START positions La Rioja at the forefront of cancer research, offering new treatment options that were not previously available in our region,” he said.
The new unit will be located in the CIBIR building and will occupy 660 square meters. The facilities will have areas for consultations, administration and monitoring. They will also include a pharmacy to prepare medicines, a laboratory and a space to treat patients.
Expansion of cancer research
Dr. Eduardo Mirpuri, Director of Research at CIBIR, stressed that this unit will strengthen existing lines of research. “A direct consequence of the implementation of the new clinical trials unit is the strengthening of the lines of research currently being developed at CIBIR,” he said.
Mirpuri explained that early-stage trial units do not operate in isolation. They are an essential part of a broader research process. By integrating with basic research, they validate initial discoveries made in cellular or experimental models. This ensures that the principles studied are applied in effective treatments for patients.
This initiative not only expands treatment and research capabilities in La Rioja, but also establishes a benchmark in oncology research in Spain, benefiting both patients and the scientific and academic world of the region.
