Swiss Biotech Sector Achieves Record Revenue and 38% Private Funding Surge in 2025
Key Insights
Switzerland's biotech industry reached record revenues of CHF 7.5 billion in 2025, driven by companies entering commercial stages and increased demand for specialized manufacturing services.
Private funding for Swiss biotech companies surged 38% to CHF 1.15 billion, accounting for nearly half of the sector's total CHF 2.6 billion funding as capital markets remained challenging.
Pharmaceutical companies increasingly pursued R&D collaborations and licensing agreements with biotech partners rather than traditional acquisitions, reflecting a global trend toward de-risking investment structures.
Switzerland's biotech industry demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2025, achieving record revenues of CHF 7.5 billion ($9.6 billion) while navigating a challenging global funding environment, according to the Swiss Biotech Report 2026 released at a biotechnology conference in Basel.
The sector's total funding increased 2.1% to CHF 2.6 billion ($3.32 billion), but the composition of this funding revealed a significant shift toward private financing. Privately-funded companies raised CHF 1.15 billion ($1.47 billion), representing a 38% increase over 2024 and accounting for nearly half of all sector funding.
Private Investment Drives Growth Despite Market Challenges
"That's nice evidence that the private investors are there, even in difficult times, to support Swiss biotech and not, again, being distracted or irritated by short-term cycles that may happen globally," said Frederik Schmachtenberg, EY (search) partner and global life sciences lead for Financial Accounting Advisory Services and co-author of the report.
Major private financing transactions included CHF 186 million ($238 million) raised by Windward Bio (search) and CHF 104 million ($133 million) by GlycoEra (search). However, Schmachtenberg noted that while some companies secured substantial funding, others struggled to obtain financing, describing the situation as "the tale of two cities."
The overall capital markets environment remained challenging following what Schmachtenberg characterized as the "sugar high" years of the COVID-19 era, making private funding increasingly crucial for sector growth.
Pharma Partnerships Replace Traditional Acquisitions
Pharmaceutical companies increasingly opted for R&D collaborations, licensing agreements, and other arrangements that include funding for their biotech partners, rather than pursuing traditional acquisition strategies. Michael Altorfer, chief executive of the Swiss Biotech Association (search), noted that this collaborative approach is expected to continue while acquisition activity remains slow.
"It's a global trend that pharma companies are trying to de-risk these structures," Schmachtenberg explained, highlighting the strategic shift in how large pharmaceutical companies engage with biotech innovation.
Record Revenue Growth Across Commercial Operations
The record CHF 7.5 billion revenue figure was driven by more companies transitioning into the commercial stage and increasing demand for specialized contract manufacturing and development services. This growth occurred despite a slight decline in product approvals in the United States, Europe, and Switzerland, which was partially offset by increased approvals in other key markets including China and Canada.
Global Collaboration Essential for Continued Success
Industry leaders emphasized the critical importance of maintaining Switzerland's international character amid global uncertainties, including potential U.S. tariff changes under President Donald Trump and an upcoming Swiss vote on immigration caps.
"Here in Basel, we are committed to our strong belief in free trade without tariffs, in free labor markets, in migration, knowing that a lot of innovation is coming from collaborating," said Kaspar Sutter, head of the Department of Economic, Social and Environmental Affairs for the Canton of Basel-Stadt.
The report highlighted that Swiss citizens comprise less than one-third of the life sciences talent pool, and the country's lack of a substantial domestic market makes global collaboration essential. More than half of Switzerland's exports originated from the chemical, pharmaceutical, and life sciences industries in 2025.
"We are working in a global economy, and we are not about competition," Altorfer stated. "We are about trying to show to each other who is the best partner to work with because we cannot do it alone."
Most investment in the Swiss biotech sector continues to come from abroad, according to Altorfer, underscoring the industry's dependence on international capital and partnerships for sustained growth.