Ojer Pharma is a pharmaceutical company associated to Navarra Health Cluster, specialized in identifying therapeutic gaps in the dermatological market and developing innovative drugs and products for both human and veterinary use. With a track record of more than two decades and a highly specialized team, the company has positioned itself as a leader in dermatological formulations with high added value, focused on improving efficacy, safety and patient experience.
In 2025, Ojer Pharma has been awarded in the regional and national phase of the Quality Innovation Awards (QIA) in the SME Innovation category, thanks to its GTP platform of sustained release bioadhesive gels, a pioneering technology applied to human and veterinary dermatology. And this January, the company has also received the award at international level, consolidating the impact of its technological commitment and its capacity for innovation in the sector.
At Navarra Health Cluster, we spoke with three members of the Ojer Pharma team to gain first-hand insight into the company’s current stage of development, its vision for the future, and the key drivers behind its expansion and international positioning.
How did your business project begin?
Carlos González Ojer, CEO and co-founding partner of Ojer Pharma: “We had a family pharmacy in Barcelona and, from a very young age, I spent a lot of time there with my father. He was one of those old-school pharmacists who did a lot of dermatology compounding, and I learned a great deal from him. We realised there was room for innovation in dermatology—to offer patients formulations that were better, easier to use and safer. I came to Pamplona to study and, in the final months of my degree, I decided to start working on what would become the Ojer Pharma project. In 2000, and for the next five years, I focused on developing this business idea. The project matured within the University of Navarra environment, which was one of the company’s first investors. Between 2005 and 2007, other venture capital partners such as SODENA and Clave Capital came on board, enabling us to carry out the company’s first R&D plan.”
What sets your company apart within the healthcare sector and makes the difference for your customers?
Juan Manuel Llabot, R&D Manager: We design medicines aimed at addressing issues related to safety, efficacy or patient usability. For example, in the case of cold sore treatment, we identified that the reference product caused significant social anxiety because it involved applying a white cream to the affected area, which ultimately had a negative impact on treatment effectiveness.
That is why we created Lipovir®, the first transparent bioadhesive gel that forms a protective film over the lesion and creates an environment that helps speed up the healing process—so the treatment lasts less time. This is one of the strategies we use: on the one hand, we improve the appearance-related issue for the patient, and at the same time we take the opportunity to enhance the treatment’s effectiveness.
Making a transparent antiviral is not easy: from a formulation standpoint, it is technically very complex to ensure it is stable and compatible with the skin.
What are your development prospects for 2026?
Maria Rúbies Royo, Business Development Manager: We are currently in an expansion phase, mainly into Latin America, Asia and the MENA region. We already have products on the market and a number of global agreements that we expect will be approved soon, enabling us to commercialise them worldwide. We are also launching several product lines, including the Previderm line for human dermatology and Skinnia for veterinary use. But it is not only that we are in a crucial phase of international expansion—we are also starting to become known as a company with products that have real spark: people know that when we begin developing a medicine, we bring added value. At the latest international conferences we have attended, we were visited by contacts referred by companies that are satisfied with us.
What does this Quality Innovation Awards recognition mean to you?
Carlos González Ojer: When I founded the company, we wanted to be excellent in everything we do, and these awards recognise the excellence and innovation of our products—especially meaningful in the very year we have marked our 20th anniversary, which makes it particularly exciting for us.
In addition, this award recognises the hard work of our team, whose commitment over the years has been extraordinary in a sector where staff turnover is high. It is their professionalism and dedication to the project that have enabled us to retain the expertise which is now valued by the different types of companies we collaborate with internationally.
