And the life sciences are clearly among the key areas

The Switzerland houses, with Novartis and Roche, two champions of the pharmaceutical industry among the most prosperous and the most innovative, respectively occupy the 4th and the 8th largest in the world in their sector. The progressive concentration of Swiss industry and its focus on a number of therapeutic areas have taken her over the years to separate molecules, of men, or even research centres whole, when they did more to its priorities. A number of molecules for example seen suspended development, while was a pool of managers trained in drug development.

This was a favourable breeding ground for the development of a local industry of the biotech. Indeed, "If you let go the leading the project, never you cannot sell your molecule, explains Michèle Ollier, Director of investment at Index Ventures." "Then, if the project is of sufficient magnitude, the interest of the pharmaceutical group as the"champion"of the molecule, it is then to create a spin off." Actelion or Basilea, now listed, are exemplary of this strategy that rock, in particular, was able to practice with talent. When, moreover, the spin-off is then in the large group the partner she needed to complete the development and market the molecule, the loop is concluded in the interest of both parties.

The spin-off shine on the stock exchange

The spin-off took another virtuous effect on the Swiss economy in the life sciences. Because they often molecules already in clinical trials and a team already, at least scientifically, they had to investors a smaller risk, which did not fail to attract them. Nothing like some "success stories" to support a flow of investment. Whether traditional venture capital funds or rich families of industry and finance through the "family offices".

Worst pires de des pires lendemains lors of of pires tomorrow during the bubble Internet, never the stream only has dried completely up ", observes Markus Blaser, consultant at Ernst & Young. Then this is the Zurich stock exchange which has also taken advantage of the rating of the spin-off. The critical mass they constituted is not for nothing in its current position as rising star in the firmament of the European scholarship in biotechnology. "Zurich is a very much alive and very knowledgeable market," said Vincent Mutel, the pattern of Addex, who hopes to be there to bring his company by some time.

Without going to the symbiotic relationships with the spin-off, the pharmaceutical industry has also been great purveyor of founders of start-up companies. Speedel, Addex and another Arpida are good illustrations. But, to complement their teams, patterns of biotech companies can rely on an another asset of the Switzerland: the very international nature of cities such as Geneva, Zurich or Basel, which concentrate the bulk of companies in the life sciences. In Switzerland, in fact, 20 of the population is not Helvetica. If the lack of appropriate management that characterizes Europe also exists, is still with less acute, because it is not too difficult to attract foreigners.

High-level research

With regard to science, "has the biotechnology industry, universities and engineering schools, very good research", observes Thomas Bohner, partner of the Zurich Fund HBM Partners. The University of Shanghai index designed to measure the quality of research, the Switzerland, thanks to the Zurich region, is situated at European second behind Oxford. And the life sciences are clearly among the key areas.

The Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and decided, in 2002, to create a Faculty of life sciences. "The considerable progress of molecular biology in the course of the past years have fundamentally altered the status of the life sciences, explains to the EPFL." They are open to other disciplines. Basic science, engineering and computer science are today essential to their progress. "Where the decision of the EPFL President Patrick Aebischer, to a place. At Zurich, where the University and the Federal Institute of technology (EHT) both are present for a long time in the discipline, the "life Science Zurich" project aims to work together both entities to improve both the level of education and research and international visibility.

The collaboration between universities and research institutes is also encouraged (financially) across the Switzerland, and facilitated by the small distances. The network of research and teaching SystemsX, created by the EHT Zurich, the universities of Basel and Zurich and three industrial, Roche, Novartis and Syngenta, illustrates this desire. Devoted to the biology of systems, it is organized around clusters of laboratories, currently six, based in one of the three academic institutions.

Avoid the "brain drain".

"The opening by Novartis of a large research centre in Massachusetts, to benefit from the scientific environment of Cambridge, has been the opportunity for the Swiss to a real taking of conscience", recognizes Domenico Alexakis, Director of the Swiss Biotech association. "And SystemsX is one of the answers imagined to contain the"brain drain"and preserve term innovation capability."

The concern of the transfer of technology is also very present and for a long time, because the Switzerland has more than 60 years, with ITC, of a comparable to OSEO Anvar innovation Agency. The Agency supports projects from all disciplines, but the life sciences today come to the forefront of its priorities.

Technology transfer is also a strong component of the vocation of the poytechniques schools, alongside the training and research. They offer including coaching, training related to entrepreneurship, incubators for new companies and science parks. Since 2003, the Biotech Center Zurich welcomes 17 companies and the Institute of Integrative Biology, part of SystemsX, which can benefit from two pet of level 3 laboratories and GMP production unit.

No doubt the association Swiss Biotech still claims to support. It considers particularly that seed funding lacks the rigidity of the laws of bioethics is poorly adapted to small companies or even the local clinical research cost is prohibitive, and that the European drug agency pay too much to Switzerland's non-accession to the Union European. There is no less that few countries in Europe offer also environment.