Swiss Biotech Report 2026: New records in revenues and investments

In 2025, revenue in the Swiss biotech sector reached a new record of CHF 7.5 billion. Capital inflows rose to CHF 2.6 billion, while research spending - a key driver of innovation - remained at a high level of CHF 2.5 billion. This is shown by the Swiss Biotech Report 2026, to which scienceindustries contributed. 

Despite challenging conditions, the Swiss biotech industry delivered a strong performance last year. In 2025, 334 biotech companies were active in research and development (R&D), 10 more than in the previous year. The number of employees grew to over 21,000 full-time equivalents, a new high. At CHF 7.5 billion, total revenue in 2025 also reached a new record, driven by more companies with market-ready products and a persistently strong growth in demand for specialized CDMO services.

Capital investments, to private companies grew by 38 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, reaching a new high of 1.15 billion. Together with investments in publicly traded companies, a total capital inflow of CHF 2.6 billion was achieved. Mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations also increased.

Staying on Course with Talent and Tenacity

The overarching theme of the Swiss Biotech Report 2026, “Talent and Tenacity,” examines how the Swiss biotech industry attracts and develops talent, thereby strengthening its appeal as a collaboration partner and fostering international alliances. The report illustrates this through contributions from eight key stakeholders offering diverse perspectives.

From robust support for scientific talent and innovation to the broad range of technical expertise available, and from research and development to biomanufacturing, Switzerland offers an ideal foundation as a global partner for collaboration.

scienceindustries: High-Tech Biomanufacturing Drives Economic Strength

With a further increased share of 53 percent of Switzerland’s total exports in 2025, the chemical, pharmaceutical, and life sciences industry remains the cornerstone of Swiss foreign trade. 72 percent of export growth over the past 25 years is attributable to this industrial sector. The growing exports of biotechnologically produced immunological products, therapeutic antibodies, and vaccines play a particularly important role in this. By 2025, these already accounted for 20 percent of Switzerland’s total exports. This is highlighted in an article by scienceindustries in the Swiss Biotech Report.

Another scienceindustries article underlines the importance of “biomanufacturing” of innovative active ingredients and valuable substances for Switzerland. Medicines and gene and cell therapies for serious diseases, sustainably produced vitamins and food ingredients, resource-efficient flavors and fragrances, as well as high-quality fine chemicals are manufactured using high-tech biotechnological processes at numerous locations in Switzerland, as well as within an international network. With its outstanding innovation ecosystem and favorable regulatory environment, Switzerland offers ideal conditions for this.

The Swiss Biotech Report 2026, presented at Swiss Biotech Day on May 5, 2026, in Basel, is published by the Swiss Biotech Association in collaboration with EY, scienceindustries, and five other partner organizations. The report highlights the most important trends, innovation drivers, and sources of innovation each year and provides insights into topics and facts regarding the development of the Swiss biotech industry. The Swiss Biotech Report 2026 is available digitally at www.swissbiotechreport.ch.

Articles by Jan Lucht, Head of Biotechnology:

• Export statistics: Biotech products as a driving force of the Swiss export economy
• Switzerland as a global biomanufacturing hub