• Tuesday, April 21, 2020 @ 10:00 am

Favorable framework conditions in Switzerland for high-tech industries like the biotech sector support strong economic development. Compared to all Swiss exports, the share of the chemistry, pharma and life sciences sector has increased from 29.7% in 1999 to 47.3% in 2019, reaching a record value of CHF 114.56 billion. Since 2009, it has been Switzerland’s largest export industry.


Jan Lucht
scienceindustries | Head Biotechnology

85% of the chemistry, pharma and life sciences exports are contributed by the life sciences subsector (pharmaceuticals, vitamins and diagnostics), with a significant proportion of biopharmaceuticals and biotech products. More than a third of exports from this subsector are derived from immunological products, including monoclonal antibody therapeutics. While Swiss exports from all sectors have increased by 112% since the year 1999 to reach CHF 242.3 billion in 2019, the contribution of the life sciences subsector grew by 362% from CHF 21.1 billion to CHF 97.54 billion. This growth demonstrates the strong dynamics of the life sciences sector.

Swiss export statistics according to industry sector demonstrate the lead of the chemistry, pharma and biotech industry (scienceindustries/Federal Customs Administration 2020)

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