Swiss biotech industry thriving

The Swiss Biotech Association has published the Swiss Biotech Report 2020 together with EY and seven other partners. This shows that the Swiss biotech industry was able to flourish last year.

Swiss biotech companies took 1.2 billion Swiss francs in total in 2019. Private and public companies each earned about the same amount. Among public companies, CRISPR Therapeutics AG from Zug was able to earn the most, at 436 million Swiss francs. ADC Therapeutics from Epalinges VD was the private company with the highest funding, at 101 million Swiss francs.

According to the report, Swiss biotech companies achieved total revenue of 4.8 billion Swiss francs last year, which is 800 million Swiss francs higher than the prior year. The increase is primarily attributed to collaboration and licensing agreements.

The report praises the new Swiss-based funds, which contribute to an attractive funding environment, including Medicxi, ND Capital, Pureos Bioventures, and Bernina BioInvest.

It was also emphasized that Swiss biotech companies such Biogen, CSL Behring and Novartis invest highly in expanding their production capacities. Companies like SOPHiA Genetics, BC Platforms and InSphero are also increasingly using artificial intelligence options.

Michael Altorfer, CEO of the Swiss Biotech Association, states: “The Swiss Biotech Report 2020 shows that Switzerland has a comprehensive life sciences ecosystem - from research to manufacturing - that Swiss biotech companies can rely on and thus continue to thrive.”

Every year, the Swiss Biotech Association honors companies or people that have demonstrated outstanding achievements. The winners for 2020 are Actelion, Debiopharm, Helsinn, Venture Kick, >>Venture>>, Venturelab and the Nobel Prize winner Professor Werner Arber. Bachem, Basilea, Esbatech, Lonza and Novimmune are nominated for the Swiss Biotech Success Stories Awards 2021.