LIFE SCIENCES & Health

At the heart of Health Valley

The canton of Vaud is home to a very significant number of high-quality infrastructures as well as knowledge and expertise in the field of life sciences. Indeed, the region is often referred to as "Health Valley."

The University Hospital of the Canton of Vaud (CHUV) plays a central role in the sectors of medical care, research, and training. It develops ambitious projects such as "Neurotech,” a platform that is unique in Europe and which is dedicated to the evaluation of the impact of new technologies in the field of neurosciences. The department of oncology, led by Professor George Coukos, conducts renowned international work into cancer research, while Agora, a center devoted to cancer research, will be inaugurated in 2018 and will feature 300 researchers and doctors.

The region has positioned itself at the forefront of research in these domains, and also in the fields of neurosciences, immunology, nutrition, and cardiovascular diseases. Innovative disciplines such as bioinformatics, medical imaging, and robotic surgery are also developing rapidly.

The canton has almost 400 businesses and as many laboratories active in life sciences, and the ecosystem in Vaud is continually being enriched by the creation of start-ups. In 2016, new companies in Health Valley attracted 7.4% of global venture capital investment in the sector.

Around 60 companies from abroad, including Medtronic and Becton Dickinson, have chosen to develop their industrial activities and services in the region.

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Our success stories

Parker Hannifin

For over a century, Parker Hannifin has contributed to technological advances that create a better world. With its Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) headquarters in the Canton of Vaud, the US conglomerate offers solutions in a broad range of markets and industrial applications.

Merck

Merck develops advanced treatments in the canton of Vaud. Now, the German multinational plans to expand its production capacity in the region.

Incyte

Incyte Biosciences International Sàrl, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Lausanne, Switzerland, is an integrated global oncology company focused on transforming the lives of cancer patients with leading-edge medicines. It is working on new medicines to advance the treatment of various forms of acute and chronic leukemia, lung cancer and other difficult-to-treat cancers.

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News and events

12/16/2020

Tech Tour Health

Organised by Tech Tour and supported by the Service de la promotion de l'économie et de l'innovation (SPEI), the 10th edition of the HealthTech Summit (HTS) will once again bring together the most promising companies in the field of medical technology and digital health.

Online

10/2/2020

SOPHiA GENETICS raises $110 million in oversubscribed new funding round

SOPHiA GENETICS, global leader in Data-Driven Medicine, announced today the closing of a $110 million financing round to enter into the next stage of its expansion, with a focus on supporting the growing clinical and biopharma demand for Data-Driven Medicine worldwide. This Series F round was led by aMoon, a leading health-tech & life sciences venture fund based in Israel, and Hitachi Ventures, a venture arm of Japanese Hitachi Group. The company also received the trust of prime financial institutions Credit Suisse and the Pictet group.

9/30/2020

Vaud startup awarded Swiss Medtech Award

On the occasion of Swiss Medtech Day – with 500 participants, the most important annual event for the Swiss medical technology industry – two start-ups from western Switzerland, Rheon Medical and Coat-X, were presented with the Swiss Medtech Award worth CHF 50,000. The eyeWatch system from Rheon Medical is currently revolutionising the treatment of glaucoma and has already been successfully implanted in more than 150 patients.

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