Our history

Improving patients' lives for more than a century

F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Co. was founded at a time when the industrial revolution was changing the face of Europe. On October 1, 1896, at the age of 28, Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche launched his company as the successor company to Hoffmann, Traub & Co in Basel, Switzerland. He was among the first to recognise that the industrial manufacture of medicines would be a major advance in the fight against disease.

Fast-forward 125 years, and Roche has grown into one of the world’s largest biotech companies, as well as a leading provider of in-vitro diagnostics and a global supplier of transformative innovative solutions across many disease areas.

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Roche established premises in Aotearoa New Zealand in September 1973. Over the past five decades, the Roche NZ team has brought many innovative medicines and diagnostics into Aotearoa New Zealand for the benefit of New Zealanders. The team continues to strive every day to work in partnership with the health system to create solutions that improve the health and wellbeing of Kiwis.

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Roche milestones

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