Life Sciences
Key Companies
Minas Gerais is the second-placed state in
Brazil with most biotechnology companies:
more than 600 in the state,
representing 12% of the national total.
Specialized R&D Centres:
Biotechnology is at the core of the
Minas Gerais development strategy,
offering a range of business and partnership opportunities.
With modern pharmaceutical production facilities and one of the biggest and best equipped technological complexes in Brazil, the Ezequiel Dias Foundation is Latin America’s sole producer of thalidomide, used in the treatment of leprosy and having high potential for the treatment of other conditions such as cancer. FUNED is also the exclusive producer of antivenoms, antitoxins and antivirals in Minas Gerais, and is the only public laboratory supplying the Meningitis C vaccine to the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The foundation also runs the Minas Gerais Central Public Health Laboratory (LACEN-MG), with 42 units conducting state-of-the-art analysis and examinations geared towards worker health and epidemiological sanitary and environmental surveillance.
The René Rachou Institute (Fiocruz Minas) is an institution of science and technology in healthcare, linked to the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Its primary areas of operation include prospection of medications and development of new vaccines, diagnostics methods, and therapeutic strategies.
The Nuclear Technology Development Centre is an educational and research institute, and a specialized service provider in nuclear technology and associated areas, with the development and production of radiopharmaceuticals as one of its key applications in healthcare.
The UFMG Bio engineering Laboratory is specialized in the application of biological systems engineering. Key areas of research include assistive and biomechanical technologies, cardiovascular engineering, photodynamic and photobiomodulation therapies, biomimicry, and medical equipment.
The National Association of Biotechnology and Life Sciences Corporations (AnbiotecBrasil) supports companies in innovation and entrepreneurship with competitiveness incentive tools.
Biominas Brasil is a pioneer institution in support of biobusiness across the country, and has helped to structure more than 150 companies, in addition to technology transfer and licensing contracts.
Pharmaceutical Industry
Revenue growth in the pharmaceutical industry | Brazil and Minas Gerais
After steady results in 2015 and 2016, the pharmaceutical industry in MG has grown consistently above the national average.
It is the second most prominent in the number of companies, and the third in the number of employees in the country, with participation of 11% and 9.5% respectively.
source: IBGE; RAIS
Pharmaceutical industry companies and employees (2020)
| State | Company | % | Employees | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| São Paulo | 303 | 43,04% | 57.313 | 53,55% |
| Minas Gerais | 77 | 10,94% | 10.281 | 9,61% |
| Rio de Janeiro | 67 | 9,52% | 7.362 | 6,88% |
| Goiás | 59 | 8,38% | 14.120 | 13,19% |
| Paraná | 44 | 6,25% | 5.892 | 5,50% |
| Brasil | 704 | 100% | 107.031 | 100% |
Equipamentos médicos
Minas Gerais is home to Brazil’s second-largest medical equipment industry, with gross production value reaching BRL 1.55 billion in 2019 and accounting for 11.4% of national output.
Gross production value for medical equipment | 2019 (R$ billion)
Gross production value for medical equipment manufacturers – Brazil, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo, 2015-2019 (R$ billion)
source: IBGE
Nonetheless, when we consider the segment covering radiology, electromedical, and electrotherapeutical equipment alone, the state’s participation rises to 39%.
In 2018, MG production in this segment exceeded that of São Paulo State.
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