Roche

F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Co. is founded on 1 October 1896 in Basel, Switzerland after witnessing the devastating effects of the cholera outbreak in Hamburg.

Roche's affiliate in the UK was established in 1908, marking a significant step in the global expansion process initiated by Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche.

In 1914, Roche establishes offices in Milan, New York, St Petersburg, and London, marking its global expansion.

During the First World War in 1915, Roche faced international and financial crisis due to boycotts and loss of assets in the Russian pharmaceutical market.

The company becomes publicly traded in 1919, allowing for broader ownership and investment opportunities.

In 1920, Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche passes away, leading to Emil C Barell taking over as the president of Roche.

Nutley, New Jersey, becomes the location for Roche's U.S. headquarters in 1928, as the company's interests are transferred to a Canadian holding company.

After the collapse of the Russian Empire, Roche representative Josef Aronstamm flees Russia for Latvia and envisions his new home as a bridge to the important Soviet market.

In 1934, Roche became the first company to mass-produce synthetic vitamin C, under the brand name Redoxon.

By 1938, Roche has expanded to 35 branches across all five continents, employing approximately 1800 individuals.

In 1952, Roche introduces Rimifon, the first effective treatment for tuberculosis, revolutionizing healthcare.

In 1957, Hoffmann-La Roche introduced the class of tranquilizers known as benzodiazepines, with Valium and Rohypnol being the best known members.

In 1960, the company introduced Librium, a benzodiazepine tranquilizer that helps in relieving tension without causing apathy.

In 1963, the company introduced Valium.

The first electron microscope appears at Roche in 1969, allowing researchers to observe incredibly tiny objects with greater accuracy.

In 1973, Roche launched Madopar, which was the first significant success in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

On July 10th, 1976, a major accident occurred at a chemical factory in Seveso, Italy, owned by a Roche subsidiary, causing dioxin contamination in the surrounding communities.

In 1986, the company released Roferon-A, a treatment specifically designed for rare forms of cancer.

Roche bought the patents for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique in 1992.

On 28 April 1995, Hoffmann-La Roche sold Roche Biomedical Laboratories, Inc. to National Health Laboratories Holdings Inc.

On September 30th, 1996, Roche entered into a collaboration agreement with Gilead Sciences for the antiviral drug oseltamivir, used to combat avian influenza, leading to significant developments in the pharmaceutical industry.

In 1999, Roche pleaded guilty to participating in a worldwide conspiracy to raise and fix prices for vitamins sold in the US and globally. The company paid a significant amount in criminal fines.

Cell biologist Napoleone Ferrara pursues a passion project at Roche, leading to the development of a treatment based on his research in 2004.

On October 20, 2005, Hoffmann-La Roche made the decision to allow other companies to manufacture Oseltamivir, the antiviral drug used to combat influenza.

In 2007, Roche shifted its focus towards Personalised Healthcare.

On January 22, 2008, Roche acquired Ventana Medical Systems for $3.4 billion.

After eight months of negotiations, Roche agreed to fully acquire biotech pioneer Genentech, in which it had held a majority stake since 1990. The acquisition was finalized on March 25th, leading to Roche moving its research facilities to Nutley and the US Headquarters to Genentech's facility in San Francisco.

On March 26, 2009, Roche acquired Genentech for $46.8 billion, after holding a majority stake since 1990. This acquisition led to the relocation of research facilities and headquarters.

In April 2010, Roche acquired Medingo Ltd. for $160 million.

On April 7, 2014, Roche announced its intention to acquire IQuum for up to $450 million, along with rights to an experimental drug from Oryzon Genomics.

On January 16, 2015, Roche announced the acquisition of Trophos for €470 million, focusing on the neuromuscular disease drug olesoxime.

Roche, a Swiss pharmaceutical company, expanded its operations to the United Kingdom during the Second World War.

In February 2018, Roche announced the acquisition of Flatiron Health, a US cancer data analytics company, for $1.9 billion.

In February 2019, Roche announced the acquisition of gene therapy company Spark Therapeutics for $4.3 billion, adding Spark's gene therapy portfolio to its assets.

In March 2020, Roche Diagnostics achieved FDA-approval for its high-volume Sars-CoV-2 diagnostic test, capable of analyzing 1,400-8,800 samples within 24 hours.

In March 2021, Roche announced the acquisition of GenMark Diagnostics for $1.8 billion, with GenMark becoming a subsidiary.

Roche announced the establishment of a new research institute in May of this year, dedicated to studying 'mini-organs' derived from human cells to better replicate human biology.

In August 2022, Roche was suspended from the ABPI for two years due to engaging in misleading marketing practices that involved 'bribing health professionals with inducement to prescribe'. This led to significant consequences such as the resignation of the Roche General Manager of the UK.

In September 2022, Roche acquired Good Therapeutics for its PD1-regulated IL-2 receptor agonist program at a cost of $250 million.

In July 2023, Roche partnered with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in a $2.8 billion deal for the development of a hypertension drug.

In December 2023, Roche acquired Carmot Therapeutics, an anti-obesity drug developer, for $2.7 billion.