A Global Village for Global Impact: A Conversation with Michael Altorfer, CEO of the Swiss Biotech Association

As Swiss Biotech Day approaches this May, we take the opportunity to delve into the unique Swiss ecosystem—a hub renowned for its remarkable scientific and technological achievements, including one of the highest Nobel Prize-to-population ratios in the world. Switzerland has consistently contributed to today’s global pharma and biotech industries, serving as a beacon of collaboration, innovation, and excellence. In our interview today, Michael Altorfer, CEO of the Swiss Biotech Association, shares his insights on what makes the Swiss Biotech Day such a pivotal event and how the country's robust infrastructure, collaborative spirit, and rich history in research continue to drive global progress in biotechnology.

Michael, thank you for joining our interview. The Swiss Biotech Day is on the horizon. Last year, it attracted some 2,500 participants from more than 40 countries. What factors do you believe have contributed to its success?

Michael Altorfer: Thank you for the opportunity to share some insights from the perspective of the Swiss biotech hub. Since 2021, the Swiss Biotech Day has expanded by about 40% each year. We’ve been pleasantly surprised by this strong and positive global response. What started as a national conference has developed into one of the leading international partnering events. The key has been our deliberate positioning of the event as a unique platform that fosters international collaboration, which is encapsulated in our slogan, “The power of international collaboration.” This approach has resonated with the industry, bringing together executives and thought leaders from across Europe, the US, and many Asian countries. I’m very glad to see the conference has truly become a global platform to connect biotech leaders and exchange best practices.

For those unfamiliar with the Swiss Biotech Day, could you explain your Global Village platform and how it has evolved into a cornerstone of the conference?

Michael Altorfer: Absolutely. The implementation of the Global Village platform has been a key driver behind the internationalization of the Swiss Biotech Day. As you said, we had around 2,500 participants last year. With over 40% joining us from abroad, this has been the biggest and most international edition so far—a record.

Interestingly, the inspiration for the Global Village concept came from South Carolina about four or five years ago. A delegation from South Carolina approached the Swiss Biotech Day with a fresh mindset, systematically establishing contacts with Swiss biotech leaders through coordinated site visits before and after the conference. They connected with investors, big pharma, CROs, CDMOs, research hubs, accelerators, universities, and hospitals, forging strong international links. Impressed by their approach, we officially launched the Global Village in 2023 as a dedicated platform. We started with 10 delegations, expanded to 17 last year, and expect to welcome way more than 20 this year, representing biotech hubs from Europe, Africa, America, and Asia. This platform has become a dynamic hub for global exchange, and for the first time this year, we will feature a dedicated stream of presentations and panel discussions focused entirely on international collaboration.

Let's talk about the Swiss life science ecosystem. What makes it so unique, and how do you see its role in global biotech development?

Michael Altorfer: I consider myself fortunate because our ecosystem has evolved over more than a century, built on decisions made decades ago. The stability of Switzerland has allowed us to develop a robust infrastructure that not only supports cutting-edge research but also attracts top talent, thanks to a strong education and healthcare system. Our government focuses on investing in education and research infrastructure rather than direct industrial funding, ensuring that taxpayer money supports the formation of strong universities and research centers that serve as vital partners for the industry. At the same time, we also have very strong multinational pharma companies and a number of global CDMOs. This density and completeness set our biotech hub apart. Over the past 30, 40 years, we have learned how to establish new biotechs and make them flourish. The Swiss biotech community is now driving new product development and building innovative platforms, attracting nearly 2 billion Swiss francs in startup investments annually and consistently investing around 2.5 billion into its R&D projects.

As you mentioned earlier, global collaboration is important to the Swiss biotech momentum. Could you elaborate on how these global collaborations have influenced product development and innovation?

Michael Altorfer: Four out of five biotech patents filed in Switzerland are established in international collaboration. Lacking a significant local home market, our companies are focused on developing innovative products for the global healthcare market and they invest about 1.5 to 1.7 billion Swiss francs into external collaborations. Many of these partnerships are forged at conferences, so this has also been an element and a driver why the Swiss Biotech Day is an important place to meet. Ultimately, our strength lies not only in our local innovation but also in our ability to collaborate on a global scale.

One alliance I'm particularly proud of is the collaboration between regulatory bodies in Canada, the UK, Switzerland, Australia, and Singapore—the Access Consortium. By harmonizing their regulatory processes, these regulatory agencies have been able to simplify, standardize, and accelerate the path to market for innovative therapies, facilitating joint approvals across multiple countries, helping to ensure that patients gain timely access to new treatments.

For Swissmedic, which previously acted as a gatekeeper for new products serving just nine million people, this partnership now expands access to nearly 100 million people. This demonstrates how a small country can contribute to building more effective global or regional systems that benefit everyone involved. By breaking down regional silos and fostering international collaboration, this alliance sets an example for others, proving that a united approach can overcome many of the constraints that hinder progress in drug development.

As we wrap up, looking ahead, what emerging trends or technologies do you believe will redefine the biotech industry, and how can we work together to ensure these innovations benefit patients worldwide?

Michael Altorfer: We must innovate not only by developing new targets, modalities, and treatments for diseases that remain largely unmet, but also by ensuring these solutions become available and affordable on a global scale. It's disappointing when breakthrough products exist but remain out of reach for many that could benefit. This challenge goes beyond the development of new drugs and technologies—it encompasses our ability to effectively manufacture, store, and distribute these products in different parts of the world, roll out comprehensive healthcare insurance programs, and educate both patients and healthcare providers on their proper use.

If I look at this global picture, I see that Switzerland can contribute on all these fronts, from research and manufacturing to distribution, education, insurance, and financing. Global trends such as artificial intelligence, personalized medicine, healthy aging, early detection, and even disease prevention are reshaping our industry. While scientific breakthroughs, such as those in gene therapy are exciting, their impact for the global patient population will depend on our ability to further develop the global healthcare system across the globe so that such products and new technologies can be accessible and affordable also in regions that currently still lack such access.