Basel is expanding its pharmaceutical facilities at a cost of 790 million

Building 51 marks the launch of a major project in Basel that is gathering significant momentum. At a cost of around 790 million Swiss francs, new production capacity for synthetic active ingredients is being created, alongside the modernisation of Building 50. Commissioning is scheduled for 2030, and around 200 jobs are set to be based there.

The foundation stone was laid on 21 September 2026 at the Basel headquarters. The project encompasses not only the construction of Building 51 but also the refurbishment of Building 50; together, they will form the new production platform for synthetic active ingredients. Roche is thus further consolidating its research, development and manufacturing activities at an inner-city life sciences site.

Production network to be consolidated in Basel
The facility is due to be completed by 2030 and will then employ around 200 staff. According to the company, increasingly complex synthetic active ingredients will be manufactured there – a sector that already accounts for around half of its pharmaceutical portfolio. For the site, this is more than just a construction project. It represents a clear commitment to industrial production in Basel, even though manufacturing in this sector is often relocated abroad.

SRF therefore characterised the investment as bucking this trend. Following the laying of the foundation stone, the broadcaster reported that Roche was keeping production in the heart of Basel and, with the new building, securing around 200 jobs in the long term. At the same time, the facility was described as a highly technical plant with closed, automated processes.

Billions continue to flow into Switzerland as a business location
The project is part of a long series of investments. According to its own figures, Roche has invested around 41 billion Swiss francs in Switzerland since 2016, of which more than 7 billion has gone towards the expansion and modernisation of its sites and over 33 billion into research and development. Around 1.4 billion Swiss francs are currently being spent on ongoing construction projects in Basel and Kaiseraugst.

For the property and construction sectors, this move is significant primarily due to its scale and its impact on the local area. Building 51 ensures that a major production hub remains firmly established in the Basel urban area, whilst existing buildings are being modernised in parallel. This strengthens the campus’s role as a combined research, development and production site and extends the construction programme until at least 2030.