bio research companies in switzerland

Top 15 Swiss biotech startups making a difference in Europe

Switzerland has long been known as a booming biotech hotspot in Europe that boasts many high-profile companies. Here are the top 15 biotech companies among the new generation of promising startups in Switzerland.

Last year saw a record-breaking amount of money pouring into the Swiss biotech industry. According to a recent report by the Swiss Biotech Association, biotechs in Switzerland raised approximately €3B (CHF 3.4B), more than doubling 2019’s €1.08B (CHF 1.2B) haul. 

Notable Swiss biotech fundraisings included ADC Therapeutics’ €215M IPO on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2020 and CRISPR Therapeutics’ €400M public fundraise the following July. 

Switzerland’s success as a bubbling biotech cauldron is reflected in the steadily growing number of biotech companies that have settled there. In the last ten years, the number of biotechs in Switzerland has grown from 236 in 2010 to 314 in 2020. Swiss biotechs employed more than 16,000 people in 2020.

High-profile companies in Switzerland include CRISPR Therapeutics, ADC Therapeutics, AC Immune, Idorsia, and Basilea. 

Smaller biotech companies and startups in Switzerland are often spun-out and supported by a number of academic institutions, incubators, and accelerators. Examples include the ETH Zurich, the University of Zurich, the University of Basel, the EPF Lausanne, StartLab, and BaseLaunch. 

With helpful tips from local experts, we’ve put together a list of promising biotech startups in Switzerland.

Araris Biotech  

Founded: 2019 Location: Zurich

Araris Biotech is a spin-off from the Swiss Paul Scherrer Institute and the ETH Zurich. The company works on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), a type of drug where a toxic agent is attached to an antibody with a so-called linker. Currently, ADCs can come with a number of limitations. For example, the antibody part of the drug must often undergo costly and time-intensive engineering, slowing the ADC’s development. 

To address this challenge, Araris Biotech has developed a linker platform that allows the attachment of any toxic agent to off-the-shelf antibodies, reducing the need for prior antibody engineering. In late 2020, the company raised €13.8M (CHF 15.2M) in a seed round to boost the preclinical and clinical development of its lead ADCs. 

Founded: 2017 Location: Zurich

CDR-Life is developing antibody fragments to treat cancer and retinal diseases. The company’s antibodies target tumor-specific proteins inside cancer cells and guide a patient’s own T cells to attack and kill these cells. This highly specific therapy is designed to lower toxicity in the patient and avoids the side effects of many other current immunotherapies. 

The startup recently entered into an agreement with the German pharma giant Boehringer Ingelheim to co-develop treatments based on antibody fragments for the irreversible retinal disease geographic atrophy, which occurs in patients with age-related macular degeneration. CDR-Life will be eligible to receive up to €434M (CHF 474.5M) in upfront and milestone payments, research funding, as well as royalties on potential sales. 

Cutiss  

Cutiss is a spin-off from the University of Zurich. The regenerative medicine startup develops skin grafts to treat severe burns. Large and deep burns can reach the dermis – the lower layer of skin tissue – which can result in painful and disfiguring scarring. Currently, burns of this severity are treated by taking a skin graft from another part of the patient’s body, but these often contain very little tissue from the dermis layer and still cause scarring.  

To get around this problem, Cutiss takes a small sample of healthy skin from the patient and then expands it in vitro . The company then creates a personalized skin graft containing both the epidermis and dermis layers. Its main candidate has completed a phase I clinical trial in pediatric patients and is now being tested in phase II in adults and children. In July 2020, Cutiss raised €19M in a Series B financing round to support its phase II clinical trial and scale-up manufacturing in Switzerland. 

Deep Breath Intelligence (DBI)  

Founded: 2018 Location: Zug

A spin-off from the University Children’s Hospital of Basel and the ETH Zurich, DBI has combined high-resolution mass spectrometry with artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools to measure the chemical signature of our breath. The company aims to use molecular breath analysis to advance precision medicine in different respiratory, neurological, and metabolic indications. 

DBI is mainly working in the areas of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obstructive sleep apnea, epilepsy, sports performance, and sleep-associated metabolism. It has close collaborations with university hospitals in Switzerland and Jinan University in Guangzhou, China. In June, DBI entered into a collaboration with the German pharma giant Bayer in which DBI’s AI-driven breath analysis tool will be used in a clinical study of a new nasal drug for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

Endogena Therapeutics  

Founded: 2016 Location: Zurich and San Francisco

Endogena Therapeutics has developed an AI-driven platform that triggers stem cells in the patient’s body to regenerate and repair damaged tissue. 

In May 2021, the FDA granted orphan drug designation for the company’s lead program, a small-molecule cell regeneration therapy for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that can result in blindness. This announcement closely followed a €6.5M ($8M) Series A financing round in January 2021. 

FoRx Therapeutics

Founded: 2019 Location: Basel

Many types of cancer cells undergo a process called break-induced replication when preparing to replicate themselves that prevents them from damaging their DNA. While normal cells do not undergo break-induced replication, cancer cells depend on it for survival. 

FoRx Therapeutics is developing drugs that target this particular DNA repair pathway to block replication in cancer cells. The company’s drugs aim to treat colorectal and ovarian cancers and treatment-resistant melanoma. In April 2020, FoRx raised €10M in seed financing . It will use the money to perform screening assays and optimize lead drug candidates to take them into clinical trials.

Haya Therapeutics

Founded: 2017 Location: Lausanne

Haya Therapeutics focuses on blocking long non-coding RNAs found in the human genome, which play a role in fibrotic diseases and other age-related health conditions, like cancer. Haya aims to identify new targets and drug candidates that could be more effective and have a greater efficacy profile than current treatments. The precision therapeutics company uses RNA-targeting drugs, such as modified antisense oligonucleotides, to inhibit long non-coding RNAs.

In May 2021, Haya Therapeutics raised a €16.4M (CHF 18M) funding round. The company is also preparing to start clinical trials with its lead candidate, an antisense molecule to treat the rare heart disease non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. 

Founded: 2017 Location: Geneva

Spun out from Merck in 2017, iOnctura develops cancer and fibrosis treatments. The company’s lead candidate is a small molecule drug that blocks a protein called PI3K delta, which is active in many types of cancers. While there are several PI3K inhibitors on the market and in development already, iOnctura’s drug is the first to target solid tumors. 

In January 2020, the company raised €15M in a Series A round to fund a phase I trial of iOnctura’s lead candidate. The rest of the money was earmarked for completing the preclinical development of iOnctura’s second candidate, also for treating solid tumors. 

Mirai Foods  

As the first cultured meat startup in Switzerland, Mirai Foods is working to produce real meat without slaughtering animals. The company’s aim is to culture animal cells without genetically modifying them in the process. Its first product will be beef because it has the largest carbon footprint, but the company plans to produce a variety of products in the future. 

In January 2021, the company raised €2M ($2.4M) in seed financing to develop its prototype into a commercially available product, to grow its team and build a pilot production plant. The funding amount was increased in March 2021, when the company raised an additional €1.8M ($2.2M). 

Muvon Therapeutics  

Founded: 2020 Location: Zurich

Muvon Therapeutics is a spin-off from the University of Zurich. The company is developing a personalized cell therapy that uses the patient’s own cells to regenerate skeletal muscle tissue. Its technology allows for the targeted isolation of muscle tissue cells called muscle precursor cells, which are expanded outside of the body and then injected back into the patient where it can regenerate muscle tissue. 

The company’s main focus is the development of a treatment for stress urinary incontinence in women. It recently closed active recruitment for its first phase I clinical trial. 

Omne Possibile

Founded: 2021 Location: Basel

As a brand new synbio company, Omne Possibile develops new-to-nature nucleic acids (XNA), which are modified versions of the natural building blocks of DNA and RNA molecules. XNA can be customized for different industrial applications in the areas of healthcare, information technology, and smart materials. For example, to avoid the limitations of messenger RNA (mRNA), researchers could use mXNA instead of mRNA to develop modern vaccines , treat genetic diseases, or fight pests in agricultural settings. 

In May 2021, Omne Possibile announced an investment of an undisclosed amount by French company eureKARE, which recently launched with €49M ($60M) to finance next-generation biotech companies in Europe. 

Scailyte 

Founded: 2017 Location: Luzern

Scailyte is using AI tools to speed up the discovery of biomarkers from single-cell sequencing data and clinical data. The AI solution can analyze complex datasets in just a few hours and can deliver insights into biomarkers and molecular cell-identity signatures. The findings can then be used to help with the diagnosis and treatment of complex diseases like cancer and endometriosis. 

This year, Scailyte has entered into two strategic partnerships: one with the Swiss AI company Volv Global to develop a patient identification and diagnostic platform for rare diseases; and the other with the South Korean single-cell genomics company Geninus for the development of a patient stratification and predictive platform for non-small cell lung cancer.

Stalicla  

Stalicla was founded to meet a fundamental challenge in the development of autism treatments: clinical trials of ‘one-size-fits-all’ drugs for autism patients have failed in recent years. The precision medicine company is taking a tailored approach to tackle the diverse condition. Stalicla uses systems biology and AI to classify patients with autism spectrum disorder into different patient populations based on biological, genetic, and other available clinical data. Then, it selects drug candidates – new drug entities or novel combinations – that are best suited to treating the groups of patients it has identified. Each drug or novel drug combination is developed alongside a diagnostic test to detect biomarkers.

The company is already running clinical trials in the US. Currently fundraising for its Series B, Stalicla raised €22.8M in Seed and Series A in 2020 to launch the clinical development of its lead candidate and advance the identification of its second patient subgroup. The company plans to bring its two lead candidates into phase II trials in 2022. The company’s first drug candidate is designed to treat 20% of patients who have autism from an unknown cause. 

Synendos Therapeutics

Synendos Therapeutics is a spin-off from the University of Bern and the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research TransCure. The company is developing a new class of small molecule drugs called selective endocannabinoid reuptake inhibitors (SERIs) that can restore the normal functioning of the endocannabinoid system in the brain. SERIs can be used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety, mood, and stress-related indications, like post-traumatic stress disorder.

In April 2021, the company raised €22M (CHF24M) in an expanded Series A financing round. Synendos will use the money to complete the preclinical development of its lead drug candidate and take it through safety and proof-of-concept clinical studies. 

Tolremo Therapeutics

Tolremo Therapeutics has developed a drug discovery technology that can identify targets on drug-resistant cancer cells. Based on these findings, the company designs small molecule therapies against these targets. Unlike other therapies that target drug-resistant cancers, Tolremo’s small molecules aim to kill drug-resistant cancer cells at the start of the cancer therapy and can be used in combination with traditional cancer treatments to improve patient survival. 

After raising €8M (CHF 9M) in a Series A financing round in late 2018, Tolremo received an additional €4.3M (CHF 4.7M) in Series A financing in 2020, bringing the total funding round to €12.5M (CHF 13.7M). The funds will be used to advance the development of its first clinical candidate, which is currently undergoing lead optimization, and boost its preclinical pipeline. 

We would like to thank the experts from BioAlps, the Greater Zurich Area , and Switzerland Global Enterprise who supported the creation of this article with their feedback .

Cover image by Anastasiia Slynko .

Swiss Biotech Report 2023: Industry as a driver of innovation

The Swiss biotech industry is thriving despite difficult times. Turnover continued to grow in 2022, to 6.8 billion Swiss francs. The research expenditure (R&D) of the companies rose to a record high of 2.7 billion Swiss francs. This is shown in the Swiss Biotech Report 2023, to which scienceindustries contributed.

Switzerland’s biotech industry again showed its resilience by adjusting to geopolitical disruptions while continuing to play a key role in driving global innovation. The Swiss biotech industry generated record revenues of CHF 6.8 billion, compared to CHF 6.7 billion in 2021. This was driven by significant collaboration and licensing deals, where Swiss biotech companies often successfully partner with large pharma companies, and boosted product sales.

Switzerland as an attractive location 284 biotech companies were active in Switzerland in 2022, 26 more than the year before. The number of full-time positions in Swiss R&D biotech companies increased by 7.2 per cent. This corresponds to more than 19,000 employees. Investments in research and development reached a new high of CHF 2.7 billion. A total of CHF 1.3 billion in new capital flowed into the companies. Switzerland is a very attractive location for biotech companies: by the end of 2022, 20 percent of European biotech companies had already established their headquarters in Switzerland. They cite the central location, the modern infrastructure, the business-friendly environment and the excellent skilled workforce as decisive factors for their choice of location.

Switzerland as a source of global solutions The overarching theme of the Swiss Biotech Report 2023 are effective solutions from Switzerland for global challenges. Approaches are presented from different angles. scienceindustries uses examples from member companies to demonstrate the potential of industrial biotechnology for improved sustainability in various areas and underlines the central role of the life sciences sector as a stable foundation of the Swiss economy.

The Swiss Biotech Report 2023, presented at the Swiss Biotech Day on 25 April 2023 in Basel, is published by the Swiss Biotech Association in collaboration with EY, scienceindustries and seven other partner organisations. Every year, the report highlights the most important trends, innovation factors and sources of innovation and reports on topics and facts about the development of the Swiss biotech industry. The Swiss Biotech Report 2023 is available digitally at www.swissbiotechreport.ch .

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ERI Dispatch 2025-20: strategic priorisation is necessary

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Switzerland: a hotspot for innovation and patents

Science and industry: a symbiosis that fosters innovation

The life sciences sector as a solid foundation of the Swiss economy

WTO decision on TRIPS Agreement

Biotech vaccine against dangerous respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

Looking back on our 140th anniversary

Innovations of today and tomorrow

140 years of innovation are just the beginning

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Chemical and pharmaceutical industry as a driver of growth

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The country has long been home to global heavyweights such as Roche and Novartis. And having been ranked as the world’s most innovative country for the 10 th ​ year in a row by the United Nations Global Innovation Index, the industry has also set its sights on attracting start-ups with new tech and ideas: ranging from AI and machine learning to digital health.

Building a biotech hub ​

Dedicated efforts to build Switzerland as a biotech stronghold started to gather pace in the late 1990s and grew in force in the early 2000s: thanks to collaborations between academic institutions, the creation of innovation funds at federal and cantonal levels, and the settlement of strong global actors from the biotech and biopharma industry.

UNITEC and PACTT, technology transfer offices, were founded 1999 and 2000. Other Technology Transfer Offices followed suit throughout Western Switzerland in the following years (TTO in Neuchâtel, FRI-UP in Fribourg and Alliance in Vaud).

However, it could be argued that Switzerland has been home to a long tradition of pharmaceutical and biotech innovation since the late 19 th ​ century, from Basel to Visp, with family companies gone global such as Roche (Basel), Novartis (Basel), Vifor Pharma (Fribourg) and Lonza (Valais).

“Lately two major investments have contributed to the growth of the biotech sector in Switzerland. After investing CHF 400m ($436m USD) in 2020 to expand its biopark in Visp ​  (Valais), ​ Lonza invested another CHF 850m ($928m) in 2021 to build a new manufacturing facility dedicated to small molecules ​  and biological products by 2024. In 2019, CSL Behring joint forces with sitem-insel and invested CHF 300m ($327m) to expand its manufacturing facility in Bern. ​

“ ​ All these investments and company establishments in the biotech sector have contributed to the positioning of Switzerland as a global biotech hub.” ​

Switzerland's biotech sector

• The Swiss biotech industry generated revenues of CHF 4.5bn ($4.92bn USD) in 2020.
• That year was the best year ever for Swiss biotech in relation to financing activities, with around CHF 3.4bn ($3.71bn) raised.
• In 2020, the industry saw an increase in approvals by the FDA (57 compared to 48 in 2019), all granted within a review period of less than a year, and there was also an increase of almost 50% in European approvals by EMA (97 compared to 66 in 2019). Swissmedic approved 42 new drugs in 2020 (which was over a third more than the 29 approvals for innovative new drugs in 2019).
• There are 314 biotech companies in Switzerland: broken down into 251 developers and 63 suppliers.
• Swiss life science exports were valued at CHF 99.1bn ($108bn USD) in 2020 and accounted for 44% of total exports. The sector has grown by a factor of 4.5 since 2000, when life sciences accounted for 17% of total exports, making it the strongest single driver of Swiss export growth.

Source: Swiss BioTech Report 2021 ​

So what makes Switzerland attractive to biotech players?

“Besides its politically and economically stable society, its central location in Europe and its high living standards, Switzerland has a lot to offer the biotech sector,” ​said Bischof.

“It can rely on a strong diversified higher education landscape, with its universities, university of applied sciences, and Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology: all of which provide highly qualified manpower as well as R&D collaboration opportunities. ​

Western Switzerland hosts innovation hubs, scientific parks & incubators such as:

• Biopôle - a life sciences campus founded in 2004; which inaugurated its Startlab in 2018 to support startups by offering lab facilities within an incubator framework
• Eclosion Foundation - created in Geneva in 2013 for biotech startups
• Campus Biotech - founded in 2013 and located in the former Merck Serono building in Geneva
• The Ark Foundation - created in 2004, now with 6 sites across the canton of Valais
• The Swiss Innovation Park - sites across Switzerland including Zürich, Aargau & Biel

“Moreover, the presence of strong pharmaceutical global players and a diverse life sciences network, with its innovative start-ups offering technological collaboration opportunities, enables the biotech sector to build on solid foundations. ​

“The focus on translational medicine, as well as efforts made by universities to collaborate with industry via their technology transfer offices, offers a significant advantage. ​

“All of these elements, combined with Western Switzerland’s government’s focus on innovation support, through its innovation parks and innovation initiatives, demonstrate that Switzerland is an ideal ground for biotech players to establish themselves at any stage in their development lifecycle, from bench to market.” ​

Zurich as a European hub

Reto Sidler, head of communications and marketing for Greater Zurich Area, the official investment promotion agency for Switzerland's largest economic area, sees the opportunity to create a complementary - not competitive - hub to existing biohubs.

“We want to be the location of choice for forward-thinking companies and talent from Boston or other regions of the US and the world when they want to expand internationally. Be it for commercialization, R&D, production, supply chain management, etc,"  ​he told us.

US start-ups are expanding into Greater Zurich to accelerate their growth in Europe and expand R&D as well as production capabilities, he added. Some of the most recent additions to the local life sciences cluster include Apellis, Reata Pharmaceuticals, Deciphera, Global Blood Therapeutics, Stemline and Arvelle Therapeutics among others.

And nine out of ten of the largest biotech and pharmaceutical companies globally have a substantial presence in the Greater Zurich Area along: including Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Roche, Novo Nordisk, Abbott and Merck (MSD). Amgen, Takeda and Biogen are other giants with HQs in Greater Zurich.

Strongest sectors

“Switzerland is already top in oncology, immunology, rare diseases, neurology," ​ continued Sidler.  "Personalized medicine, cell and gene therapy, clinical and digital health are also becoming increasingly important. ​

“Beyond individual disciplines, the Greater Zurich Area has established itself as the European headquarters for commercialization, production, supply chain management (also thanks to the existing blockchain expertise) and other corporate functions such as IP management, tax planning, HR.” ​

The pandemic has also brought to light a new set of expertise, adds Bischof of BioAlps: both to tackle COVID-19 and to embrace emerging tech for the future.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has enabled some former Swiss biotechnology strongholds to reappear such as vaccine innovations," ​ she said.

"Lonza is producing the active agent for the Moderna vaccine and other organisations such as the Swiss Biotech Center and Berna Biotech Pharma are collaborating to develop and produce a second-generation vaccine to fight against SARS-Cov-2. ​

“The importance and efficiency of some vaccine technologies, such as mRNA, used for immuno-oncology treatments (MaxiVax), have recently been highlighted as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. ​

Opportunities and challenges

“The high standard of living and the highly qualified competencies already present in the country, the diversity of the biotech landscape and its scalability, imply that companies and talents are easily attracted to Switzerland," ​ said Bischof.   ​

"However, it is important to build on Switzerland’s competitiveness by boosting innovation support mechanisms and investment. Start-up investments in Switzerland seldom originate from Swiss investors. Therefore, although the country may be attractive for an initial establishment, many start-ups are compelled to leave the country for lack of Swiss investment. ​

“Ideally, more investments should be made to retain the biotech know-how and innovation within Switzerland.” ​

While Switzerland’s stable political and economic situation is an advantage, Bischof warns that challenges could come from its emphasis on direct democracy – animal testing, for example, has been under the spotlight under a popular initiative.

"Many new drugs and therapies emanating from the region are based on genomics and RNA-sequencing research.  ​ The latter can be facilitated by using, for example, a proprietary sample preparation solution developed by the startup Alithea Genomics, based in the canton of Vaud. ​

"Other pathologies, such as heart failure, are also being treated with RNA-based therapies as a result of technologies developed in Western Switzerland (Haya Therapeutics).” ​

She also highlights Digital Health as another area to watch.

“Digital health has developed rapidly in Western Switzerland over the past few years. As a result, the Biopôle in Lausanne launched DH 2 ​ , ​   ​its Digital Health Hub, in March 2019. Data-driven and precision medicine companies have stemmed from the combination of biotech and digital technologies, including big data, AI and machine learning. ​

"For example, SOPHiA GENETICS supports collaborators in medical institutions across the world in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and hereditary disorders through the application of high-level data-driven genomics and radiomics analysis. Quartz Bio, now part of Precision Medicine, helps synthesize biological data through the use of AI and computational biology.” ​

Western Switzerland is also home to drug repurposing actors. For example, Relief Therapeutics makes use of molecules, which have in some cases gone through several clinical trials, with the aim to provide long awaited therapies for serious illnesses. The EspeRare Foundation researches existing therapies which can be used to treat rare and orphan diseases.

Wider opportunities could come from the combination of biotech and foodtech with nutraceuticals and nutrition tech.

“The key areas to look out for in the coming years are personalised medicine, digital health and its many applications, as well as the emergence of biotechnologies linked to nutrition,” ​ concludes Bischof.

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Biotech companies thrive in Switzerland

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Swiss biotech report 2023 shows sector weathers global disruption well and continues to play a leading role driving global healthcare innovation.

• Record revenues of CHF 6.8 billion (USD 7.5 billion)
• Fundraising of CHF 1.3 billion (USD 1.5 billion) exceeding pre-COVID 19 levels of 2019. CHF 0.78 billion by public companies, CHF 0.55 billion by private companies
• 47 new approvals by Swissmedic
• R&D investment again increased to a record level of CHF 2.7 billion (USD 3.0 billion)
• Ecosystem continues to strengthen and attract – 20% of European biotech companies now headquartered in Switzerland
• Employment continues to rise to new record level – FTE’s in Swiss R&D biotech companies increased in 2022 by 7.2%
• Swiss Biotech Association celebrates highlights of 25 years of Swiss biotech R&D achievements

During 2022, Switzerland’s biotech industry again showed its resilience by adjusting to geopolitical disruptions while continuing to play a key role in driving global healthcare innovation. The Swiss biotech companies overall recorded revenues of CHF 6.8 billion. Meanwhile, the industry was able to raise more than CHF 1.3 billion, with CHF 0.78 billion collected by public companies, and the remaining CHF 0.55 billion being raised by private companies. Encouragingly, R&D investments again increased to a new record of CHF 2.7 billion. The latest edition of the Swiss Biotech Report launched today by the Swiss Biotech Association, in conjunction with EY and eight other partner organizations, provides an analysis of the 2022 biotech funding as well as other 2022 key ratios and statistics compared to prior years. It emphasizes major achievements of Swiss biotech innovation and the contribution of Switzerland in developing effective solutions to global challenges.

«The record R&D investments of more than CHF 2.7 billion demonstrate that Swiss biotech companies continued to invest heavily, despite global uncertainties and an overall more difficult funding environment in 2022. And while global investors have been investing more selectively than during the Covid pandemic, Swiss biotech companies have been able to attract more than CHF 1.3 billion new funds, which reflects that both Swiss and global biotech investors continue to recognize the investment opportunities on offer,» comments Michael Altorfer, CEO, Swiss Biotech Association.

«The global biotech sector, like many other sectors, was impacted in 2022 by geopolitical challenges, which dried up or reduced some sources of funding. However, Swiss biotech companies also showed considerably agility – MoonLake completed a successful CHF 140 million NASDAQ SPAC transaction and Kinarus a reverse merger on SIX Swiss Exchange. In addition, Molecular Partners, VectivBio, Idorsia and many other companies accessed significant funds through alternative non-dilutive avenues of funding, for example large licensing and collaboration arrangements and sale and leaseback transactions,» adds Frederik Schmachtenberg, EY Partner and Global Life Sciences Lead for Financial Accounting Advisory Services.

Key Findings in the 2023 Swiss Biotech Report

The Swiss biotech industry again generated record revenues of CHF 6.8 billion, compared to CHF 6.7 billion in 2021. This was driven by significant collaboration and licensing deals, where Swiss biotech companies often successfully partner with large pharma companies, and product sales boosted for companies including Idorsia, ObsEva, EffRx Pharmaceuticals, Relief Therapeutics, NLS Pharmaceuticals, Basilea and ADC Therapeutics.

Listed companies received CHF 780 million: VectivBio Holding (CHF 177 million), ADC Therapeutics (CHF 166 million), MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (CHF 140 million), Basilea (CHF 75 million) and BioCartis (CHF 65 million). The largest portion of the private capital, in total CHF 550 million, was raised by CDR-Life (CHF 72 million) and ImmunOS Therapeutics (CHF 71 million). Despite the tough economic environment, two companies were newly listed on SIX Swiss Exchange in 2022: Kinarus Therapeutics and Xlife Sciences; the latter of which was the first company to list on the newly launched SME stock exchange segment Sparks.

In addition, the Swiss life science ecosystem continued to strengthen. By the end of 2022, 20 percent of European biotechs had chosen Switzerland as their headquarter location, citing as decisive factors the central location, modern infrastructure, business friendly environment and diverse talent pool. The Swiss Biotech Report features several of such case studies.

Another welcome development was the creation of Swissmedic’s innovation office at the end of 2022 – a new concept designed to achieve faster access to innovative medicines.

Swiss Biotech Success Stories Awards for outstanding achievements

To recognize outstanding achievements, the Swiss Biotech Association again honoured companies with the Swiss Biotech Success Stories Awards. At this year’s Swiss Biotech Day, Sophia Genetics and Humabs BioMed/Vir Biotechnology, are the recipients. Their awards are also celebrated with additional highlights of Swiss biotech R&D achievements from the last 25 years on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Swiss Biotech Association.

Sophia Genetics has developed a powerful decentralized software platform, SOPHiA DDM, for analysing patient data across different modalities and generating actionable insights. In 2022, the company announced that it had hit the milestone of one million genomic profiles analysed.

Humabs BioMed/Vir Biotechnology is a pioneer in the discovery, engineering, and early development of human monoclonal antibodies to fight infectious diseases from Ebola to COVID-19. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Vir Biotechnology, Humabs BioMed continues to innovate utilizing its investigational monoclonal antibodies. Phase II data readouts are expected in 2023 for three advanced development programs in flu, hepatitis B and hepatitis D virus infection.

Source: Swiss Biotech Association Report

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Switzerland is one of the most reputable and innovative biotech hubs in the world. Local companies hold leading positions throughout many sectors and thus attract capital, partnerships and talents from all regions. The basis for this success is a close-knit network between research and development, driven by renowned universities, highly-specialized SMEs and strong multinational corporations.

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• Distributor, Production (of own products), R&D, Sales & marketing (of own products), Service provider, Supplier
• 4500 Solothurn

abc biopply humanized disease models predict patient response to treatment Our proprietary technology creates hundreds of miniature patient organs in a laboratory setting, using both healthy and diseased tissues. Our innovative models bridge the gap in predictability between the lab and the clinic.

• +7 Products, Platform technologies, Therapeutics/vaccines (veterinary), Services, Analytical tests & screening, Cell culture, cell technology, Reagents & (bio)chemicals

abcDNA GmbH

• 6004 Lucerne

Provides services in business development, strategy and product evaluation.

• Business development & strategy
• Production (of own products), R&D, Sales & marketing (of own products)
• 1202 Geneva

ABCDx is specialized in the discovery, clinical validation and commercialization of point-of-care diagnostics with advanced blood-based biomarkers for acute brain injuries such as trauma and stroke.

• Diagnostics
• +2 Analytical tests & screening, Medical devices/technologies

Abologix Sàrl

• 1228 Plan-les-Ouates

Abologix is a biopharmaceutical company and a spin-out from the laboratories of Prof. Beat Imhof and Prof. Thomas Matthes at the University of Geneva.

• Therapeutics/vaccines (human)

Increase your company’s visibility

The directory helps all biotech companies to get more visibility as Swiss Biotech Directory entries get top positions in Google searches. Take the advantage to list your company’s key data, and thus open up new business opportunities, as your company is better found online (e.g. in searches by key business or core competencies).

As a member of the Swiss Biotech Association you are entitled to present more information than non-members in the directory.

More about the Swiss Biotech Directory

Legal framework and policies in Swiss biotech

Swiss life sciences companies are impacted by specific national and international guidelines – non comprehensive selection is given here:

Code of Conduct of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Switzerland on cooperation with Healthcare Professional Circles and Patient Organization.

Pharma Cooperation Code (PCC)

Transparency is the key to the creation of confidence in relations with the general public and patients. That is why the European pharmaceutical industry intends in future to disclose the pecuniary benefits provided between the pharmaceutical industry and stakeholders in the healthcare sector.

On 24 June 2013, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) adopted the new EFPIA Disclosure Code. On that basis,  scienceindustries  as the responsible member association of EFPIA in Switzerland drew up the Pharma Cooperation Code (PCC) which entered into force in January 2014. The partner associations Intergenerika, Interpharma and vips have also subscribed to the PCC.

What commitment have the PCC signatory companies made? With effect from 2016, the signatory companies will disclose each year on their websites accessible to the public the  pecuniary benefits which they granted in the previous year (beginning with 2015) to professionals (primarily physicians and pharmacists) as well as healthcare organizations (in particular hospitals and research institutes).

Which benefits are disclosed? The term pecuniary benefits as defined by the PCC means remuneration granted either directly or indirectly in connection with pharmaceuticals for human medicine available on prescription only. The disclosure includes payments made e.g. for consultancy and the provision of services, financial support for research and development in the healthcare sector and cost contributions for the attendance of professionals at events.

There are few exceptions from the obligation to disclose pecuniary benefits, e.g.: • normal commercial compensation for professionals when pharmaceuticals are ordered and delivered • delivery of pharmaceutical samples without payment to professionals within the limits of the official    recommendations • information and training materials of modest value • payment for meals (including beverages)

How is disclosure effected? To achieve a high degree of transparency, disclosure should take place individually, i.e. naming the recipients in person. This requires the consent of the persons or organizations concerned to such disclosure. For this purpose, the cooperation agreements between the companies and these professional persons and organizations must be supplemented by suitable consent clauses. The companies are currently in contact with these stakeholders for that reason.

[Source:  https://en.scienceindustries.ch/involvement/pharma-code-and-pharma-coope…

Federal Act defining research involving human beings for clinical (ClinO) and non-clinical (HRO) research

Federal Act on Research involving Human Beings

Legal provisions on research on humans can be found on several federal acts, the most important being:

Federal Act   on Research involving Human Beings  ( Human Research Act, HRA )

The legislation on research involving humans came into force on 1 January 2014. Besides the Human Research Act (HRA), the legislation includes three ordinances:

• Ordinance on Clinical Trials in Human Research  ( Clinical Trials Ordinance; ClinO )
• Ordinance on Human Research with the Exception of Clinical Trials  ( Human Research Ordinance, HRO )
• Ordinance on Organisational Aspects of the Human Research Act ( HRA Organisation Ordinance, OrgO-HRA )

The HRA regulates research involving humans (in particular clinical trials), research on human cadavers, embryos and foetuses, and research involving biological material and health-related personal data. All of these research projects must be authorised by an ethics committee. Clinical trials also need to be registered. The overall aim of the new act is to simplify certain processes: it standardises authorisation and registration procedures and reduces the administrative burden for research projects involving low risk for the participants.

The new legislation aims to protect the dignity, privacy and health of human subjects of research. The law also aims to create appropriate conditions for research involving humans, help to improve the quality of this research and foster greater transparency in this area.

Further information on the law and the main changes it involves can be found on the kofam (Coordination office for research involving humans) website:  www.kofam.ch

The competent authorities for research on humans in Switzerland are the  Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (SFOPH)  and   Swissmedic .

Swiss Ordinance on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation (referring to Swiss and non-Swiss Genetic Resources)

Nagoya Ordinance on Access and Benefit Sharing

The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, which was negotiated within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, regulates access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation. It therefore supports the implementation of the third objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and contributes towards the preservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of its components.

Switzerland has ratified the Nagoya Protocol on 11 July 2014. The Nagoya Protocol and the amendments of the Natural and Cultural Heritage Protection Act (NCHA) came into force on 12 October 2014. The  Nagoya Ordinance (NagO)  came into force on 1 February 2016. 

Together with the Nagoya Protocol and the provisions in the  Federal Act on the Protection of Nature and Cultural Heritage (NCHA  it forms the basis for the legal use of genetic resources from other countries. The  Nagoya Ordinance (NagO)  also regulates the access to genetic resources in Switzerland. The Nagoya Ordinance substantiates the provisions in the Nature and Cultural Heritage Act  for the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in Switzerland and thus ensures greater legal certainty.

The Nagoya Ordinance defines obligations and responsibilities when doing research on genetic resources from Switzerland and other Nagoya parties, regardless if research is performed in academiy or industry.

For more information, consult: www.sib.admin.ch/en/nagoya-protocol/implementation-in-Switzerland

Ordinance on the Handling of Organisms in the Environment (external link)

Ordinance on Handling Organisms in Contained Systems   (external link to Containment Ordinance, ContainO)

Stakeholders in Swiss biotech

Industry associations.

Swiss Biotech Association – association of Swiss biotech companies Economiesuisse  – Association of Swiss enterprises Interpharma  – Swiss pharmaceutical research companies scienceindustries  – Swiss society of chemial industries Toolpoint  – Competence center for life science tool Vips  – Vereinigung Pharmafirmen in der Schweiz Swiss Testing Labs  – association of swiss laboratories

Support in Switzerland

Euresearch  – Swiss guide to European research and innovation S-GE Export  – Advice, contacts and new business opportunities for export-oriented SMEs  SME portal  – Establish an SME Swiss Technoparks  – Association of Swiss Technoparks Simap  – Information System on public pocurement in Switzerland

Support abroad

S-GE Invest  – Marketing Switzerland a a business location abroad swissnex  – Connecting the world & Switzerland in science education, art & innovation. Swiss Cham  – Swiss Chambers of Commerce

International stakeholders

International associations.

EuropaBio  – European Association for Bioindustries Enterprise Europe Network  – business support network initiated by the European Commission European Federation of Biotechnology  – Association of European scientific and technical societies active in biotechnology

National industry associations

Canada:  BIOTECanada Germany:  BIO Deutschland ,   VBU  – Association of German Biotech Companies /  DIB  – Deutsche Industrievereinigung DIB Finland:  FIB Finnish Bioindustries France:  France Biotech Ireland:  Irish Bioindustry Association Italy:  Assobiotec Japan:  Japan Bioindustry Association

Norway:  bionity Scotland:  Biotech Scotland South Korea:  KoreaBio Spain:  Asebio Sweden:  swedenBIO The Netherlands:  HollandBIO UK:  BIA The Bioindustry Association USA:  BIO Biotechnology Industry Organization

Start-up and spin-off support

Private and public instiutions support the creation of start-ups and spin-offs – a selection of  contacts are provided here:

CTI Entrepreneurship  – the Swiss federal training programme for startup founders. CTI Start-up : The hands-on coaching program for business founders and young entrepreneurs Fongit  – Swiss startup incubator IFJ  – Startup Support &  Business Plan Tool SME portal  – Establish an SME StartBiz  – Easily create a company online seca  – Swiss Private Equity & Corporate Finance Association Venturekick  – kickstart your venture

Technology transfer offers from Swiss universities

The Swiss Technology Transfer Association is the association of technology transfer professionals who are active in the transfer of technology from institutes of public research and education, university hospitals, and other not-for-profit research organizations to the private sector in Switzerland. They support academic researchers in the marketing of their technologies.

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a melting pot of ideas

Our campus might have impressive facilities and an ideal location, but it’s the cluster of 140 multinationals, scale-ups, start-ups, SMEs, foundations and research institutes that make Biopôle one of the most attractive hubs of innovation in Europe.

Biopôle is the home of leading companies, prestigious research institutes, clinical research departments and dozens of other research entities – all collaborating, inspiring and learning from each other. With diverse skill sets, priorities and business approaches, the Biopôle community works together to advance life sciences research and development.

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Life Sciences in Zurich: Innovative Hub for Biotech

Internationally important life science companies and startups are working towards a healthier future at the business location Zurich.

Over 1,000 life sciences companies are thriving in and around Zurich. No other business sector in the canton of Zurich has grown so rapidly in the last 20 years. Most densely scattered are the MedTech companies, which account for one-third of all jobs in the field of life sciences. Sonova, the largest provider of innovative hearing care solutions, has its head office on Lake Zurich. Other global players such as GE, Philips, and Siemens provide Switzerland with medical technology from their bases in the Greater Zurich Area. In addition, corporations such as Bayer, Pfizer, or Johnson & Johnson are stimulating business in the pharmaceutical field.

The biotechnology sector is experiencing particularly dynamic growth. At the Bio- Technopark Schlieren alone, over 40 spin-offs from Zurich’s universities are successfully driving forward their innovations. Industry giants have recognized the potential and already invested over CHF 1.5 billion in young enterprises at the Bio Technopark. Roche, for example, purchased ETH spin-off Glycart in 2005 and is continuing to operate it as the Roche Innovation Center Zurich.

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Life Sciences Tours

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Global Biotech – Powered by Innovation

Download the swiss supplement to the global biotech report, download the global biotech report, supplement to the global biotechnology report 2022 „beyond borders“.

The Global Biotech Report — “Beyond Borders” 2022 covers key developments in 2021. In this context, additionally, a Swiss supplement is presented, in which local differences and similarities with respect to the global biotech trends and developments are assessed. A snapshot of the Swiss biotech landscape is presented: Following the record year 2020, financing activity in Switzerland's biotech sector continued at a very high level in 2021, with general positive advancement of the product pipeline and the continued high level of regulatory approvals as well as notable M&A transactions and collaborations Switzerland is at the very center of the global biotech momentum.

Reporting record R&D investments in 2021 of CHF 2.6 billion, which can be seen as the validation of Swiss innovation in financial terms, the Swiss Biotech sector continues on a steep upward trajectory. The industry, globally but also in Switzerland, has demonstrated its innovative prowess with its fast-paced responses to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Not surprisingly, industry leaders are very optimistic about recent advancements in the sector, most notably in mRNA technology.

The capital market and investor landscape is also playing a key role in this development, allowing Swiss biotech companies to raise more than

Backed by its innovative strength and heavy investment in R&D, the Swiss industry boasts a healthy product pipeline, with the number of regulatory approvals continuing at high levels. The capital market and investor landscape are also playing a key role in this development, allowing Swiss biotech companies to raise more than CHF 3.3 billion in funds in 2021. On top of this, there was considerable M&A activity as well as some interesting licensing and collaboration deals. Despite the rise in M&A activity, we are also excited to see the net number of total biotech companies continue to increase in Switzerland, which is important for a dynamic and diverse life sciences ecosystem.

Drilling down deeper, the Swiss supplement entails an interview with Raymond De Vré, CEO of SIX Swiss Exchange newcomer PolyPeptide Group. He talks about his experience since the company’s listing on SIX in 2021, gives us some fascinating insights into the peptide business, and shares with us his thoughts on Switzerland’s appeal for pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

One common theme stands out: Switzerland punches well above its weight when it comes to biotech innovation. But the outlook into 2022 is also not bright at all levels, and not bright for all biotech companies.

Beyond borders: EY biotechnology report 2022

The 32nd edition of our Beyond borders report offers a chance to take stock of the US and European biotechnology (biotech) industry’s impressive performance during a period of intense global disruption. When we last published our Beyond borders overview five years ago, we noted the growing geopolitical complexities set to impact biotech. Titling our 2017 report, “Staying the course,” we observed that the industry would have to navigate a business environment in which, increasingly, “uncertainty is the only certainty.” From the perspective of 2022, we can affirm that biotech has indeed successfully stayed the course, despite the upheavals that have affected global business since the last edition of this report.  

Beyond borders 5-year difference

• Financial performance
• US FDA drug approvals

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Biotech industry financial performance in 2016 vs. 2021

Revenues in 2016: US$139.4b

Revenues in 2021: US$216.7b

55 percent increase

Net income in 2016: US$7.4b

Net income in 2021: US$4.4b

44 percent decrease

R&D investment in 2016: US$45.7b

R&D investment in 2021: US$88.6b

94 percent increase

Market capitalization in 2016: US$863b

Market capitalization in 2021: US$1.6t

Increase of 84 percent

Biotech industry financing in 2016 vs. 2021

Total financing in 2016: US$53.4b

Total financing in 2021: US$115.2b

116 percent increase

Venture financing in 2016: US$10b

Venture financing in 2021: US$26.2b

161 percent increase

Number of rounds over US$100m +531% (13 to 82)

IPO in 2016: US$2.3b

IPO in 2021: US$19.3b

747 percent increase

Number of rounds over US$100m +1,825% (4 to 77)

Biotech industry deals in 2016 vs. 2021

M&A values in 2016: US$93.2b

M&A values in 2021: US$65.9b

29 percent decrease

Alliance biobucks in 2016: US$65.8b

Alliance biobucks in 2021: US$152.1b

131 percent increase

Alliance upfronts in 2016: US$3.5b

Alliance upfronts in 2021: US$10.3b

194 percent increase

U.S. FDA drug approvals in 2016 vs. 2021

Number of approvals in 2016: 35

Number of approvals in 2021: 63

80 percent increase

In 2017, looming challenges included the impact of the UK’s Brexit vote and the intensifying debate over the future of health care at the outset of the Trump administration in the US. Five years on, there is no question that biotech has not only survived, but has thrived, throughout these and subsequent disruptions — most notably the worldwide turbulence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic since early 2020.

The industry’s success in staying on track is reflected in its exceptionally strong performance in 2021:

Biotech revenues hit a record-shattering us$216.7 billion in 2021 — a dramatic 35% annual increase from 2020..

• The surge was overwhelmingly driven by products related to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the mRNA vaccines developed by BioNTech and Moderna.
• Nearly 19% of the total alone was generated by BioNTech and Moderna — producing more than US$40 billion in revenue, a year after only earning US$1.4 billion. 
• Projections indicate that spending on vaccines and therapeutics targeting COVID-19 is expected to increase from US$100b in 2021 to US$309b in 2026. 

The US$115.3 billion raised by biotechs in 2021 was the second-highest total ever recorded.

Both venture financing and IPOs broke all previous records in 2021. Venture financing reached US$26.2 billion; meanwhile, a record 143 biotech IPOs generated US$19.3 billion. Of these IPOs, 30 were funded via special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) — another record.

Yet in 2022, biotech must contend with an operating environment arguably even more uncertain than in 2017. The unforeseeable geopolitical repercussions of the current situation in Eastern Europe will play out on a global business landscape still adjusting to the impact of the pandemic. In the wake of the past two years, biotech (as with other industries) is facing new tests, including supply chain disruption; intensifying competition for talent; challenges to established commercial models; and rising pressure to demonstrate a commitment to addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues — from access and affordability to clinical trial diversity (all explored in detail in our report).  

Amid global macroeconomic changes, including resurgent worldwide inflation and the ever-present risk of an economic recession, the financial environment for biotech has significantly shifted in the opening months of 2022, with valuations plunging and the IPO window closing. The growing difficulty in accessing the public markets may mean more biotechs seek an exit via acquisition.

While the number of M&As with announced deal values (57) reached its highest point in at least 15 years in 2021, the total value of those deals (US$65.9 billion) dropped for the second consecutive year and reached its lowest level since 2017.

The falling valuations for biotechs may lead to an uptick in dealmaking, though there is little evidence of this happening so far in 2022.

Alliances continued to play a major role in 2021, with more than US$152 billion in potential deal activity being announced.

Over the two-year period from 2020 to 2021, nearly US$314 billion of biobucks became available to emerging biotechs. With historical alliance ROIs being 33% higher than M&A returns — according to EY research — alliances are likely to continue as a major focus for industry dealmaking.

The multiple uncertainties of the shifting global business climate  leave biotech navigating uncharted waters in 2022. Yet the fundamentals of the industry remain strong. Biotech’s growing R&D investments support a rich late-stage clinical pipeline that promises to remain a key driver for the US$1.4 trillion global biopharmaceutical (biopharma) industry.¹ While some biotechs may struggle with reduced access to the public markets, the sector will continue to flourish. Above all, the past five years have delivered an irrefutable lesson in the resilience of biotech: despite these challenges, we can be confident that the industry will continue to stay the course.

 ¹ The Global Use of Medicines 2022, IQVIA, January 2022.

For additional data, insights and external perspectives, see the full report.

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Life sciences in the Greater Zurich Area

Do you want to be close to major players, innovative start-ups and leading research institutes in the life sciences space? The Greater Zurich Area has evolved into a dynamically expanding life sciences hotspot, thanks to the region’s academic excellence, business-friendly regulations, IP protection, large international talent pool and R&D collaborations between universities and start-ups , as well as large multinational corporations.

The Greater Zurich Area fuels success of life sciences in Switzerland

Life sciences companies in the Greater Zurich Area utilize the unique business climate for advancements in research and development. Large multinational corporations have turned the region into a true biotech hub. Plus, some of the top pharmaceutical companies in Switzerland are located in Greater Zurich. Moreover, Switzerland is a worldwide leader in the medical technology sector. The country tops the rankings for the sector's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).

The Greater Zurich Area is a leading location for top biotech companies in Europe. The region attracts capital and researchers from across the globe. It is home to some of the most innovative businesses in the world. Key European biotechnology companies who chose Greater Zurich include Biogen , Alnylam , Johnson & Johnson , Apellis , and Amgen .

Biotech companies in Greater Zurich can secure opportunities rarely seen in other places, e.g. from the flexible labor laws, a stable economic environment and a highly qualified workforce. Pharmaceutical companies receive the same benefits. The Greater Zurich Area truly is one of the finest biotech hubs in Europe.

Medical technology

It is no coincidence that the Greater Zurich Area is home to so many world-class patents for medical technology as nowhere else in Europe. Technology leaders such as Roche Diagnostics, Zimmer Biomet , Stryker , Hamilton , Sonova , Cardinal Health and DePuy Synthes (Johnson&Johnson) operate headquarters or research and production facilities here. They value the large pool of international specialists, the R&D collaborations with leading universities and start-ups, the protection of intellectual property and the business-friendly environment. Would your medtech company also like to write a success story in the Greater Zurich Area?

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Rankings, facts and figures

354 biotech companies and suppliers employ 19,132 people.

Source: Swiss Biotech Report, 2023

CHF 6.8 billion in revenue from the area biotech industry

Over chf 2.7 billion in biotech r&d investments, 1,400 medical technology companies employ 67,500 employees.

Source: Swiss Medical Technology Industry – Sector Study 2022

CHF 20.8 billion seen in medical technology revenue

#1 mid-sized european city of the future.

Source: Financial Times fDi Intelligence 2022/2023

#1 Global Innovation Index

Source: WIPO 2023

#1 Global Talent Competitiveness Index

Source: INSEAD 2023

Learn more about the benefits of doing business in the Greater Zurich Area.

The PDF takes a look at the biotech industry’s developments and innovation in the region.

This fact sheet gives the hard data on why Switzerland is a medical technology hub.

Learn from industry leaders about talent, tax, and intellectual property.

Insights from biotech leaders regarding timing, regulations, and choice of location.

The PDF outlines why Greater Zurich is a top location for European expansion.

The handbook provides information on the key locational advantages Switzerland has to offer.

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Let us connect you with the right person to learn more about how the Greater Zurich Area Ltd can support your business needs. 

Our services are free of charge and include: 

• Introductions to key contacts in industry, academia and government
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Featured lab space and shovel-ready industrial sites

If you're looking for lab space or industrial sites in the Greater Zurich Area to launch your strategic expansion, please check out our featured greenfields and lab, warehouse or manufacturing spaces.

Read our success stories

Align Technology

Alnylam is the biotech industry pioneer leading the translation of RNA interference (RNAi) into an innovative approach to medicine. The US-based company established its European headquarters in Zug in...

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Blueprint Medicines

Blueprint Medicines was attracted to Zug and Zurich for their thriving biotech c...

Cardinal Health

HUMABS BioMed

Zimmer Biomet

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Bio-Technopark

In very close proximity to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), the University and Zurich University Hospital, a science park for life science companies and institutions has developed in the last two decades, which has now acquired both national and international significance. On the former site of the Schweizerische Wagons- und Aufzügefabrik AG and on neighboring sites, 90,000 m 2 of laboratory, production and office space is now leased to over 50 companies and 30 academic institutions.

In the Bio-Technopark, it is possible to rent ultramodern laboratories, offices, and complex infrastructure for research and development purposes. The premises offered include fully-equipped laboratory facilities with communal infrastructure, and individual rental areas in different sizes and locations and with different fit-out standards. The Bio-Technopark is still being developed and gradually fitted out.

The Bio-Technopark promotes the transfer of knowledge and technology, as well as the foundation and building up of life science companies. In addition to advice, coaching, and support for those who are setting up and developing companies and looking for financing, its services include the organization of events that focus on networking, facilitating the exchange of ideas between specialists, and advanced training.

hemotune raises CHF 14 million Series B2 funding for clinical trials with the HemoSystem

Schlieren, Switzerland, March 25th, 2024 – hemotune AG, a pioneering Swiss biotech company, today announced the successful closing of a CHF 14 million Series B2 round dedicated to advancing its HemoSystem, a breakthrough blood purification platform based on nanoengineered magnetic beads. The investment was led by Belmondo with continued support of...

Biognosys Unveils Enhanced Plasma Proteomics Services for Deep and High-Throughput Biomarker Discovery

ZURICH, Switzerland and NEWTON, Massachusetts, March 20, 2024. Biognosys, a leader in next-generation proteomics solutions for drug discovery and development, announced today the release of enhanced plasma proteomics workflows for its TrueDiscovery® unbiased discovery proteomics research services platform. The new workflows leverage an innovative plasma enrichment method, delivering deep proteome coverage with...

• Bio-Technopark After Work Networking Aperitif 02.04.2024
• Swiss Biotech Day 2024, April 22-23, Congress Center in Basel 22.04.2024

• Export from Switzerland
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Biotech cluster in Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the best and most innovative locations for biotechnology in Europe. Local companies hold leading positions throughout many sectors and thus attract capital and researchers from all over the world.

Switzerland offers an outstanding framework for procuring capital. The economic and scientific environment boasts the presence of successful international chemical and pharmaceutical companies, such as Novartis and Roche, as well as innovative firms from the medical technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology sectors, making it highly suitable for strategic partnerships, licensing, or patent sales. Modern infrastructure, high quality of life, and access to excellently trained employees supplement the extremely positive conditions for a strong and future-oriented biotechnology industry in Switzerland.

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