Innovation and inspiration

Roche has been at the beating heart of Europe’s innovation story for over 125 years. Every day our 44,000 strong workforce help to reach thousands of patients in the region through our portfolio of innovations in therapeutics, devices and diagnostics.

Founded in 1896 in Basel, Switzerland, as one of the first industrial manufacturers of branded medicines, Roche has grown into the world’s largest biotechnology company and the global leader in in-vitro diagnostics. The company pursues scientific excellence to discover and develop medicines and diagnostics for improving and saving the lives of people around the world. 

We are a pioneer in personalised healthcare and want to further transform how healthcare is delivered to have an even greater impact. To provide the best care for each person we partner with many stakeholders and combine our strengths in Diagnostics and Pharma with data insights from clinical practice.

In recognising our endeavor to pursue a long-term perspective in all we do, Roche has been named one of the most sustainable companies in the pharmaceuticals industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the thirteenth consecutive year. This distinction also reflects our efforts to improve access to healthcare together with local partners in every country in which we  work.

Europe has long stood strong as a leader in healthcare. It is the home of great scientists, physicians and academic institutions, a leader in the provision of universal healthcare, and a base for many of the innovative industries that have driven advances in patient care and outcomes. It has valued the health of its citizens, and understood the essential role of science and innovation towards improving it.

Europe is home to some rich and diverse health data sets which are attractive for the development of healthcare solutions. Many European countries have well established healthcare infrastructures, and several, e.g. Denmark, Finland, and Estonia, lead the way in the development of fully digitised healthcare systems.

Roche has a proud history and commitment to Europe, home to our global headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. Across the continent, we invest nearly CHF 6bn each year in Research & Development in the region (40% of our global R&D spend) to bring the latest scientific advances to patients.

Our vision is for a Europe where people stay healthy for longer, where health systems build the resilience to accommodate growing demand, and where the environment attracts dynamic investment in healthcare innovation. It calls for Europe to regain its place as a global medical innovation powerhouse by the end of the decade, delivering more health benefits to European patients, while reducing overall costs to society and fostering prosperity.

To deliver on our vision calls on us to embrace the latest thinking and expand from a pharma strategy into a long-term healthcare innovation strategy (building resilient systems beyond crises) and:

  • attracting continued research investment

  • rewarding medical innovation

  • earlier and more equal patient access across Europe

Healthcare industry solutions today are more personalized and integrated, with increasing potential for cure. To ensure Europe benefits from this progress, we must recognise and respond to:

  • substantially intensified competition for life-science research

  • competition for development and manufacturing investments

  • the importance of ensuring access to innovation

Roche in Europe Fact File

Over 40% of Roche’s global R&D investment is based in Europe.

Over 50% of Roche’s global R&D sites are in Europe (15 of 29 sites overall)

Over 44,000 employees, 43% of the global total, work in Europe.

Of Roche’s major manufacturing sites 7 are based in Europe.

Roche has 23 manufacturing sites overall worldwide.

We are one of the largest biotech investors in Europe and specialise in a broad range of areas:

  • Oncology

  • Immunology

  • Infectious diseases

  • Ophthalmology

  • Rare conditions

  • Diseases of the central nervous system

At Roche, we focus on finding new medicines and diagnostics and utilising data-based insights to evolve the practice of medicine and help patients live longer, better lives.

By 2030, Roche aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to real zero, including emissions from suppliers - without relying on CO2 reduction certificates, and ‘through real reductions and real compensations’.

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