| Asset Classes | Listed equity & Corporate bonds |
|---|---|
| Impact strategy | Impact Equities and Bonds |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| ISIN code | XS1195056079 |
| Industry group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| Aligned with SDGs |
Roche is a Swiss pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company with worldwide operations. The company operates through two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics. The Pharmaceutical division focuses mainly on five therapeutic areas: Oncology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Ophthalmology and Neuroscience. The Diagnostics division is active in all market segments, from scientific research and clinical laboratory systems to patient self-monitoring. Roche's oncology drugs make the largest sales contribution to the pharmaceutical division. In the diagnostics segment the company is a leading maker of in vitro clinical diagnostic tests and it is also an established provider of diabetes tests and glucose monitors. In its 2020 annual report, Roche states that 28.9 million patients were treated with Roche medicines and 23.4 billion tests were conducted with Roche Diagnostics products. Roche generates around half of its annual sales in North America, around a quarter in Europe, and it also has a strong position in the Asia/Pacific region. The company was founded in 1896, it has around 101,500 employees currently and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.
Investment rationale
Roche has a strong thematic fit with the Prosperous & Healthy People theme. An ageing population, increasing occurrence of chronic diseases and increased access to healthcare in developing economies have all been drivers of increased healthcare spending in recent years. According to Roche, two-thirds of all diseases are either still not treated adequately or not treated at all. This creates an enormous medical need that better diagnostics and medicines can help to address, making a huge difference to the lives of millions of patients and their families. With Roche's product mix of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics, the company is active in personalized healthcare, which is a targeted healthcare approach that identifies patient sub-groups and provides treatments to patients based on their diagnostic test results. Roche has a strong focus on oncology, which is a major target for its personalized medicines strategy. In addition, 32 medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them are life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and chemotherapies. With its products, Roche continues to advance the field of medicine and improves lives.