In 2025, Switzerland’s biotech industry delivered a strong performance. The Swiss Biotech Report 2026, launched at the Swiss Biotech Day in Basel by the Swiss Biotech Association together with EY and six partner organizations, analyzes 2025 funding and key metrics. Its theme ‘talent and tenacity’ highlights how the Swiss biotech industry attracts and develops talent, strengthening its appeal as a collaboration partner that fosters international alliances.
Total revenues reached a record CHF 7.5 billion in 2025, driven by more companies entering the commercial stage and strong and growing demand for specialized CDMO services. The chemical, pharma and life sciences industries accounted for 53% of total Swiss exports, with immunologicals – including therapeutic proteins, cell therapies and vaccines – contributing a record 20% (18% in 2024).

Investment into Swiss biotech companies rose to CHF 2.6 billion, with funding by private biotech companies increasing by 38% to a record CHF 1.15 billion, to account for 45% of the total capital investments in 2025. Switzerland’s strong global collaboration model supported this growth, with both international investors continuing to significantly invest in the Swiss biotech industry, and Swiss biotech companies leveraging international licensing and collaboration deals to open additional doors for product approvals and revenue sources. Employment levels of Swiss R&D biotech companies increased, for both public and private biotech companies, and reached a new overall record of over 21,000 employees.

Michael Altorfer, CEO, Swiss Biotech Association, commented: «The strong performance of the industry in 2025 is welcome testimony to our commitment to nurturing talent, fostering innovation and promoting international collaboration. Most investment continues to come from abroad and, in USD, has been growing 20 percent compared to the previous year — an impressive achievement in the current economic and political climate.»

Frederik Schmachtenberg, EY Partner and Global Life Sciences Lead for Financial Accounting Advisory Services, added: «Despite a challenging overall capital markets environment, Swiss biotech companies reported record revenues of CHF 7.5 billion and maintained high R&D investment levels. Total funding reached CHF 2.6 billion, with a shift from public to private companies. Privately funded companies raised a record CHF 1.15 billion, up 38 percent from 2024, and increased their share to 45 percent of total funding, underscoring the strength of the private investor base.»

Key Findings in the 2026 Swiss Biotech Report
In 2025, the Swiss biotech industry saw new record revenues of CHF 7.5 billion (CHF 7.2 billion in 2024), while R&D investment declined slightly to CHF 2.5 billion (CHF 2.6 billion in 2024). Employment in Swiss R&D biotech companies reached a record of more than 21,000 FTEs, mirroring more companies advancing into the commercial stage, as well as the increasing importance of Swiss CDMO.

Turning to financing, privately funded companies raised a record CHF 1.15 billion, up 38% from 2024. Private financing in 2025 accounted for 45% of total funding, compared to around 30% in prior years. Notable private financing rounds included Windward Bio (CHF 186 million), GlycoEra (CHF 104 million), Orbis Medicine (CHF 84 million), Nucidium (CHF 79 million) and Rhygaze (CHF 78 million).

In terms of public companies financing, despite public markets remaining challenging, BioVersys completed Europe’s largest IPO in early 2025, raising USD 88 million (compared to USD 106 million raised by four European IPOs in 2024). Other public companies that secured large follow-on financing were Moonlake (CHF 490 million), Oculis (CHF 274 million), Idorsia (CHF 216 million), and ADC Therapeutics (CHF 129 million).

M&A and collaborations increased: notable transactions included CDR-Life securing a global licensing agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim (with funds up to USD 456 million), BioVersys entering a global research and license option agreement with Shionogi (with funds up to CHF 479 million plus royalties) and Windward Bio signing a licensing agreement with Qyuns Therapeutics (with funds up to USD 700 million).

The Swiss Biotech Report 2026 also analyzes the factors underpinning Switzerland’s strong and diverse talent pool and its impact on innovation, competitiveness and global outlook.

Global Village and Swiss Biotech Success Stories Awards for outstanding achievements
The Swiss Biotech Report 2026 is launched at the Swiss Biotech Day, May 4–5, 2026, in Basel, attracting more than 3,500 biotech leaders from around the world. The conference is becoming increasingly international, supported by initiatives such as the Global Village, which has grown from 10 to over 30 international delegations in three years, from all continents.

To recognize outstanding achievements, the 2026 Swiss Biotech Success Stories Award was presented to Patrick Aebischer, a leading neuroscientist and prominent Swiss biotech leader whose career spans across research, institutional leadership and entrepreneurship. During his presidency from 2000 to 2016, he transformed EPFL into a leading global research institute. He founded four biotech companies: CytoTherapeutics, Modex, Amazentis (Timeline) and Vandria. Currently, he is on the boards of Nestlé and PolyPeptide, and previously served as a board member of Lonza and Logitech. He is also managing partner at Limani Partners, and was senior partner at ND Capital and chairman of the Novartis Venture Fund.