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News|Videos|May 27, 2026

Basel Expands Life Sciences Ecosystem Through Biotech Infrastructure Investment

SENN Development CEO Dr. Johannes Eisenhut discusses how Basel’s expanding life sciences ecosystem supports biopharma innovation through research infrastructure and specialized talent growth.

Basel’s long-standing pharmaceutical and biotechnology ecosystem continues to support growth in research infrastructure, startup activity, and specialized life sciences services, according Johannes Eisenhut, PhD, CEO of SENN Development, a Swiss real estate development company focused on laboratory and innovation space development.

Key facts

  • Hub city: Basel; life sciences innovation hub
  • Infrastructure: 120,000 m² lab facilities built
  • Anchor institution: Swiss TPH
  • Ecosystem evolution: Pharma to digital health
  • Global impact: Global talent ecosystem, Basel region

In an interview with BioPharm International®, Dr. Eisenhut shares that SENN has spent the past decade investing in and constructing approximately 120,000 m2 of laboratory and innovation facilities in the German-speaking region of Switzerland near Basel. He describes the expansion as part of a broader effort to support the region’s growing life sciences sector.

According to Dr. Eisenhut, the development initiative accelerated after plans emerged for the new headquarters of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), an institution affiliated with the University of Basel. He notes that Swiss TPH’s research focus, including the development of malaria treatment, helped establish the surrounding area as a center for biotechnology and innovation activity.1,2

“There’s a whole value chain there,” Dr. Eisenhut emphasizes. “Startups are there, and so, I think Basel has done a really good job in positioning itself for the future.”

Why is Basel emerging as a major life sciences innovation hub?

Dr. Eisenhut explains that Basel’s success stems from its ability to adapt alongside changes in pharmaceutical and biotechnology research over several decades. He points to the city’s historical roots in chemicals and industrial manufacturing before its transition toward pharmaceutical development, biotechnology, and increasingly digital approaches to medical research.

He also highlights the concentration of major life sciences companies in the region, including Roche, Novartis, Lonza, and Syngenta, alongside contract research organizations, logistics providers, and smaller biotechnology firms.

According to Dr. Eisenhut, the Basel region’s dense concentration of life sciences professionals has created a sustainable talent ecosystem that continues to attract researchers and specialized companies from around the world.

About the speaker

Johannes Eisenhut, PhD, CEO, SENN Development

Dr. Eisenhut leads strategic development and innovation initiatives as a member of the group management board of SENN. With a career spanning international marketing, brand development, and real estate, he previously served as head of Marketing Europe for Burton Snowboards and co-founded /Department United Creative Forces (now FCB Zürich). A former professional snowboarder, he holds a PhD in cognitive linguistics from the University of Fribourg and has co-founded several Swiss innovation initiatives, including X27 and Made in Zurich.

References

  1. Utzinger J, Mäser P. Editorial : Swiss TPH: 30 years of R&D towards new drugs for tropical diseases. Chimia (Aarau). 2023;77(9):570-571. doi:10.2533/chimia.2023.570
  2. Basel area life sciences ecosystem landscape overview Q3 2021. Deep Knowledge Analytics, Deep Pharma Intelligence. Accessed May 27, 2026. https://analytics.dkv.global/Basel-Area-Life-Sciences-Ecosystem/Teaser.pdf

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