The life sciences industry in Switzerland directly and indirectly employs about 135,000 people. [1] It contributes 5.7% of the gross domestic product of Switzerland and 30% of the country's exports. [1] In 2017 about 30% of Swiss exports (worth $84.8 billion) were chemical products. [2] In the same year Switzerland was the second largest exporter of packaged medicine in the world, with about 11% of the global total, worth $36.5 billion. [3]
Switzerland is home to many pharmaceutical companies, including very large groups, such as Novartis and Hoffmann-La Roche. In 2013, 41 life science companies had their international headquarters (and 29 more their regional headquarters) in Switzerland. [4] [5]
A number of life sciences companies are either headquartered in Switzerland or maintain regional headquarters in Switzerland:
Company | Location | Canton | Divisions |
---|---|---|---|
Abbott Laboratories | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Established Pharmaceuticals Division |
AC Immune | Lausanne | Vaud | Global headquarters |
Accuray | Morges, | Vaud | International headquarters |
Acino Holding | Zürich | Zürich | Global headquarters |
Actelion, ( Johnson & Johnson) | Allschwil | Basel-Landschaft | Global headquarters |
Alcon | Geneva | Geneva | Global headquarters |
Alexion Pharmaceuticals | Baar | Zug | International headquarters |
Amgen | Rotkreuz | Zug | European hub |
AstraZeneca | Baar | Zug | International headquarters |
Bachem | Bubendorf | Basel-Landschaft | Global headquarters |
Basilea Pharmaceutica | Allschwil | Basel-Landschaft | Global headquarters |
Baxter International | Zürich | Zürich | European headquarters |
Bayer | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Consumer Health Division, Hemophilia & Ophthalmology Pharma Global HQ Divisions with some Oncology |
Beckman Coulter | Nyon | Vaud | European and emerging markets headquarters |
Becton Dickinson | Eysins | Vaud | European headquarters |
Bio-Rad | Basel | Basel-Stadt | European headquarters |
Biogen | Baar | Zug | International headquarters |
Biognosys | Schlieren | Zürich | Global headquarters |
Bristol Myers Squibb | Boudry | Neuchâtel | Various global functions and global product supply Functions |
Caris Life Sciences | Basel | Basel-Stadt | European headquarters |
Cerbios-Pharma | Lugano | Ticino | Global headquarters |
Cochlear Limited | Basel | Basel-Stadt | European headquarters |
Debiopharm | Lausanne | Vaud | Global headquarters |
Edwards Lifesciences | Nyon | Vaud | European headquarters |
Exact Sciences | Baar | Zug | International headquarters |
Ferring Pharmaceuticals | Saint-Prex | Vaud | Pharmaceutical manufacturing site |
Finox Biotech | Kirchberg | Bern | Global headquarters |
Galderma | Zug | Zug | Global headquarters |
Galenica | Bern | Bern | Global headquarters |
Genedata | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Global headquarters |
GlaxoSmithKline | Münchenbuchsee | Bern | Local headquarters |
Helsinn | Lugano | Ticino | Global headquarters |
Hocoma | Volketswil | Zürich | Global headquarters |
Idorsia | Allschwil | Basel-Landschaft | Global headquarters |
Incyte | Morges | Vaud | European headquarters |
InSphero | Schlieren | Zürich | Global headquarters |
Intuitive Surgical | Aubonne | Vaud | European headquarters |
Janssen-Cilag, ( Johnson & Johnson) | Zug | Zug | Local headquarters |
Lonza | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Global headquarters |
Masimo | Neuchâtel | Neuchâtel | International headquarters |
Medela | Baar | Zug | Global headquarters |
Medtronic | Tolochenaz | Vaud | Europe & Central Asia headquarters |
Moderna | Basel | Basel-Stadt | EMEA headquarters [7] |
Molecular Partners | Schlieren | Zürich | Global headquarters |
MSD | Lucerne | Lucerne | Local headquarters and pharmaceutical manufacturing site |
NBE-Therapeutics | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Global headquarters |
Neovii Pharmaceuticals | Rapperswil | St. Gallen | Global headquarters |
NovaCurie | Bern | Bern | Global headquarters |
Novartis | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Global headquarters |
Novimmune | Geneva | Geneva | Global headquarters |
Novo Nordisk | Zürich | Zürich | International operations |
Octapharma | Lachen | Schwyz | Global headquarters |
OM Pharma | Meyrin | Geneva | Global headquarters |
Roche | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Global headquarters |
Santhera | Pratteln | Basel-Landschaft | Global headquarters |
Seagen | Zug | Zug | European headquarters |
Senn Chemicals | Dielsdorf | Zürich | Global headquarters |
Siegfried Holding | Zofingen, Aargau | Aargau | Global headquarters and manufacturing site |
Sonova | Stäfa, Zürich | Zürich | Global headquarters |
Sotio Biotech | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Local subsidiary |
STAAR Surgical | Nidau | Bern | International headquarters |
Straumann | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Global headquarters |
Takeda Pharmaceutical | Zürich | Zürich | Europe & Canada business unit |
Tecan | Männedorf | Zürich | Global headquarters |
VAXIMM | Basel | Basel-Stadt | Global headquarters |
CSL Vifor | St. Gallen | St. Gallen | Global headquarters |
Ypsomed | Burgdorf | Bern | Global headquarters |
70% of the investments in life sciences in Europe are made in the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, and Switzerland. [4] [5]
In addition to pharmaceutical companies (65 companies), Switzerland is home to many companies in the fields of biotechnology (338 companies) or medical devices and technology (341 companies). [4] [5] According to KPMG, there are 120 life science companies in Basel, 132 in Zürich and 92 in the Lemanic region. [4] [5]
In 2013, 41 life science companies had their international headquarters (and 29 more their regional headquarters) in Switzerland. [4] [5] In Switzerland, there are about 51,000 workers in the field of medical technologies (1,600 companies) and 13,700 on the field of biotechnologies. [8]
According to Le Temps, there are about 900 pharmaceutical and medtech companies (50,000 workers) in the region of Basel. [8] The region of Zurich, mainly active in medical technologies employs 21,000 workers. [8]
According to L'Hebdo, there are 750 biotech and medtech companies (20,000 employees) in the Lemanic region. [9] Among them, 450 companies develop and/or produce drugs. [9] In addition to that, there are 500 laboratories from universities and university hospitals (in the Lemanic region). [9]