Media release: Seven outstanding Swiss biotech achievements awarded
Each year, the Swiss Biotech Association awards companies or individuals with the Swiss Biotech Success Stories Awards in recognition of outstanding achievements. Actelion, Debiopharm, Helsinn, Venture Kick, >>Venture>>, Venturelab, and the noble prize-winner Professor Werner Arber receive the awards in 2020.
For the first time, a Swiss Biotech Success Stories Award goes to an individual: Prof. Dr. Werner Arber, a Swiss microbiologist and geneticist who won the 1978 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of restriction endonucleases. His groundbreaking research in the field of molecular genetics was instrumental in the development of biotechnology.
Furthermore, three institutions that have been supporting biotech startups with great success for more than 10 years, thereby making a significant contribution to the growth of the Swiss biotech industry, share the coveted award: Venture Kick, >>Venture>> and Venturelab.
Finally, three outstanding and commercially successful biotech companies additionally made it onto the independent jury’s list to win the awards in 2020: Actelion, Debiopharm and Helsinn.
Headquartered in Allschwil, Actelion is part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Its ground-breaking research and medicines have been a key contributor to improve the lives of people affected by pulmonary hypertension, and made Actelion an industry leader in this area.
Debiopharm, a private company based in Lausanne, identifies drug candidates with high potential in oncology and for the treatment of bacterial infections. To bridge the gap between innovative discoveries and access to patients, Debiopharm identifies promising compounds, takes charge of demonstrating their tolerability and efficacy, and then partners with major pharmaceutical partners to make them accessible to the largest possible number of patients around the world.
Helsinn, an important employer in Ticino, has a broad portfolio of marketed innovative cancer and rare disease therapies products and a deep development pipeline. It has built significant research & development, and manufacturing capacities, also advances patient care and supports healthcare innovation with its investment fund.
Companies nominated for the 2020/2021 period
Nominated this year for the Swiss Biotech Success Stories Awards in 2021 are Bachem, Basilea, Esbatech, Lonza, and Novimmune. Until the next Swiss Biotech Day in April 2021, the Swiss Biotech Association will be working closely with these laureates to highlight the diversity and innovative strength of the Swiss biotech industry based on their successes.