Big biotech donation in Geneva

As mentioned before on this blog, Merck has shut down research facilities in Geneva. However, with a major donation from billionaires Hansjörg Wyss and Ernesto Bertarelli, in cooperation with EPFL and the University of Geneva, they have purchased the building to create a biotech research centre focusing on healthcare, biotechnology and life sciences. More info...

Vifor Pharma

Today I wanted to read and write a bit about a fairly large biotech company that also has R&D in Switzerland - Vifor. Unlike other companies that I have written about, Vifor (it appears) does a lot of clinical trials. They have several laboratories in Switzerland doing R&D, in St. Gallen, Geneva and around Fribourg and Zurich. Interestingly, they also have a research lab in Victoria Canada, a small city on Vancouver Island described as the home for the 'newly wed and nearly dead'. But I digress...

A main focus of Vifor is their activities in iron deficiency which is where they started. They also have a consumer division with over the counter (OTC) products. They also use the acronym OTX, a combination of over the counter and prescription. I'm not sure if it could be where OTC drugs are reimbursed by the health care system which would make it an interesting business area.

One thing that caught my attention is their Broncho-Vaxom and Uro-Vaxom products. These are extracts of bacteria that work by stimulating the immune system and are originally from OM Pharma (bought and integrated into Vifor Pharma in 2009). It looks like there is a bit of research, and some small clinical studies, but I'd be interested in seeing more robust results and just how well it really works.