Swiss Biotech Report 2006

... FOR LIFE SCIENCE COMPANIES07• Access to the European market and to more than450 million consumers of products and servicesfrom SwitzerlandGood contractual relations with the European Unionand the country’s central geographical location provideSwiss-based companies with an excellent platformfrom which to access the European market.For these reasons, Millenium Biologix AG selected itsZurich site as the starting point for its European expansion.The company’s investment in Switzerlandincludes R&D laboratories, production facilities,a marketing unit and a regional office for regulatoryaffairs. The importance of its Swiss site will growwith the planned launch of new clinical products.• Attractive fiscal system and encouraging administrativeand regulatory frameworkA very favourable tax environment with moderateoverall taxation is a key advantage of a businesslocation in Switzerland. The maximum corporate taxrate was 21% in 2005, which is one of the lowest inEurope. The biotech industry benefits from an encouragingadministrative and regulatory frameworkfor companies, as well as low payroll taxes.Additional advantages are short product registrationcycles and easy access to markets.• Leading financial centre in Europe and beyondThe SWX is a leading European stock exchange asfar as the market capitalisation of listed life sciencecompanies is concerned. In addition, the sector-specificindex family that includes SXI LIFE SCIENCES ®and SXI BIO+MEDTECH ® increases both visibility andliquidity for domestic and foreign biotech companies.• Wide choice of venture capital and private equityfundsSwitzerland, with over 40 venture capital firms andprivate equity funds, various science parks and incubators,is a very inviting environment for innovativestart-up companies. For example, the Basel-basedcompany Speedel was able to raise a total of CHF 227million in private risk capital through several roundsof financing. The value of the company increased fromround to round, and in September 2005 it was admittedto listing on the Swiss Exchange (SWX), reachingan initial capitalisation of CHF 950 million.The total venture capital flown into Swiss biotechcompanies amounted to CHF 295 million in 2005,which gives Switzerland an excellent third-placeranking in Europe.• www.swissbiotech.org: your entry portal to theSwiss network in biotechnologyA database of over 800 Swiss life science and biotechcompanies provides free and direct access to theSwiss biotech knowledge network. R&D cooperationbetween institutions of higher education and theprivate sector are further promoted by Switzerland’sfour regional biotech clusters BioValley, Greater ZurichArea, BioAlps and Biopolo Ticino.LOCATION SWITZERLAND......the Swiss foreign investment agency, informspotential investors on Switzerland as a businesslocation and works together with the cantonalbusiness promotion representatives in selectedmarkets and industry clusters to actively pursuemarketing for Switzerland as a business location.@For further information please visitwww.locationswitzerland.chwww.swissbiotech.org