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Hoffman-La Roche

Roche Holding AG
Aktiengesellschaft
Traded as SIXROG, OTCQX
Industry Pharmaceuticals
Founded 1896; 121 years ago (1896)
Founder Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche
Headquarters Basel, Switzerland
Key people
Christoph Franz (Chairman of the board),
Severin Schwan (CEO),
Daniel O'Day (CEO, Pharmaceuticals),
Roland Diggelmann (CEO, Diagnostics)
Products Pharmaceuticals and diagnostics (List of products)
Revenue 50.576 billion Swiss francs (CHF) (2016)
CHF 14.069 billion (2016)
Profit CHF 9.576 billion (2016)
Total assets CHF 76.819 billion (2016)
Total equity CHF 26.402 billion (2016)
Number of employees
94,052 (2016)
Subsidiaries Genentech, Ventana
Website www.roche.com

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG is a Swiss multinational health-care company that operates worldwide under two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. Its holding company, Roche Holding AG, has bearer shares listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. The company headquarters are located in Basel.

The company controls the American biotechnology company Genentech, which is a wholly owned affiliate, and the Japanese biotechnology company Chugai Pharmaceuticals, as well as the United States-based Ventana. Roche's revenues during fiscal year 2016 were 50.58 billion Swiss francs, or approximately US$50 billion. Roche is the third-largest pharma company worldwide. Descendants of the founding Hoffmann and Oeri families own slightly over half of the bearer shares with voting rights (a pool of family shareholders 45%, and Maja Oeri a further 5% apart), with Swiss pharma firm Novartis owning a further third of its shares. Roche is one of the few companies increasing their dividend every year, for 2016 as the 30th consecutive year. F. Hoffmann-La Roche is a full member of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).

Founded in 1896 by Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche, the company was early on known for producing various vitamin preparations and derivatives. In 1934, it became the first company to mass-produce synthetic vitamin C, under the brand name Redoxon. In 1957 it introduced the class of tranquilizers known as benzodiazepines (with Valium and Rohypnol being the best known members). It manufactures and sells several cancer drugs and is a leader in this field. In 1956, the first antidepressant, iproniazid, was accidentally created during an experiment while synthesizing isoniazid. Originally, it had been intended to create a more efficient drug at combatting Tuberculosis. Iproniazid, however, revealed to have its own benefits; some people felt it made them feel happier. It was withdrawn from the market in the early 1960s due to toxic side-effects.


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