F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

History

YearDetail
1896 Founded in Basel, Switzerland, succeeding Hoffmann, Traub & Co.
1898 Launch of first non-prescription cough syrup "Sirolin".
1925 Business expansion to Japan.
1929 Significant growth in the U.S. with the establishment of manufacturing plants.
1945 Establishment of Pantene Corporation and cosmetic affiliates in Switzerland and the U.S.
1962 Introduction of first anti-cancer drug, Fluorouracil.
1963 Acquisition of Givaudan S.A., a prominent fragrance and flavor manufacturer.
1964 Acquisition of renowned French fragrance company Roure Bertrand Dupont.
1965 Establishment of subsidiaries in India and Mexico.
1968 Inauguration of Roche Institute of Molecular Biology in Nutley, NJ, USA.
1969 Opening of Basel Institute for Immunology in Switzerland.
1986 Corporate restructuring with the formation of Roche Holding AG.
1991 Acquisition of worldwide marketing rights to polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
1998 Acquisition of Boehringer Mannheim, becoming a global leader in diagnostics.
1998 Opening of Roche International Clinical Research Centre in Strasbourg, France.
1999 Launch of Invirase, winning Prix Galien, and Tamiflu for influenza.
2002 Merger with Nippon Roche and Chugai, forming Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
2004 Launch of Avastin, pioneering treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer.
2005 Acquisition of GlycArt Biotechnology, enhancing therapeutic antibody research.
2008 Acquisition of Ventana Inc. in the U.S.
2009 Full ownership of Genentech; Approval of Actemra/RoActemra and cobas 8000 diagnostics system.
2011 Launch of Zelboraf, a breakthrough treatment for skin cancer.
2013 ntroduction of innovative cancer treatments.
2020 Launch of RocheDiabetes Care Platform and first Roche PCR diagnostic test for active infections.
2022 Launch of Vabysmo, the first bispecific antibody for the eye.
2023 Launch of ScreenHer program in Pakistan with Greenstar Social Marketing and The Institute of Human Biology.