Greenfield investment monitor fDi Markets has recorded an increase of life sciences investment into Latin America and the Caribbean between 2012 and 2014. In this period, a total of 150 FDI projects were recorded with 18,347 new jobs created. These projects represent total capital investment of $6.25bn which is an average investment of $41.60m per project. The leading source countries were the US with 61 projects, Germany with 22 projects, and the UK with 17 projects. The majority of life science projects were in the medical devices sector.

There was a 25% increase in the number of projects recorded between 2012 and 2013, but the number of jobs created as a result of investment decreased by 24.85% in the period. From 2013 to 2014, FDI projects increased by 20%, which was accompanied by a healthy rise of 58.3% in job creation.

Capital investment increased year on year in the period. In 2012, capital investment in Latin America and the Caribbean life sciences sector stood at $1.17bn, this increased by 60.33% in 2013 and by 71.33% in 2014.

Mexico attracted the highest number of projects in the period, with 35 life sciences projects. Annual capital investment in the country increased by 70% between 2012 and 2014. Brazil and Puerto Rico ranked second and third, respectively, in terms of project numbers, with 30 and 16 projects.

Although, there was a steady increase in life science inflows between 2012 and 2014, 2015 does not look as promising. The number of FDI projects in the sector has declined significantly, with a 65% decrease in the first quarter of the year, compared with the same quarter in 2014. Capital investment has also decreased by 36.77%, along with job creation by 47.09%.