Switzerland, long held up as an innovation powerhouse able to hold its own against the considerably larger neighbouring life science markets of France and Germany, has, in some respects, found the going tougher of late. The country’s domestic drug market has been enduring a sticky patch and could only muster a modest growth rate of 2.8 percent in 2020 as policymakers grappled with issues more familiar to the rest of the continent such as cost-containment. Nonetheless, the country’s life science companies continue to achieve global acclaim and attract the attention of investors the world over.

As one of the elite drug development and biotech hubs of the world and an enduring life sciences FDI destination, Switzerland is a far more significant player than its 8.5 million population would suggest at first glance. With pharma today contributing a massive 40 percent of Swiss exports, this is a nation that has historically always managed to punch well above its weight on the international stage in medicines and medical technology.

This exclusive new report examines the fundamentals underpinning Switzerland’s continuing appeal to innovators across the pharma and medtech spectrum, new discoveries emerging from the country, market access challenges (and solutions), and the opportunities present in the generics and biosimilars segments. Via exclusive interviews with stakeholders across the value chain, a picture emerges of a nation that, while under more strain than ever, is holding firm as the pharma innovation hub of Europe.