IBSA celebrates 40 years of history: “Drugs in the best form” – a success story that combines innovation with a focus on people

In 1985, IBSA (Institut Biochimique SA) was a small company in Lugano on the brink of bankruptcy. Today, 40 years later, the company celebrates the anniversary of its acquisition by its current CEO and President, Arturo Licenziati, who has led the business with a key philosophy: “Drugs in the best form”.

The year 2025 marks an important year for the IBSA Group (Institut Biochimique SA), which celebrates a double anniversary: 40 years of leadership by its CEO and President Arturo Licenziati, and 80 years sincethecreation of theIBSA name. These milestones coincide with another significant event: the 90^th birthday of President Licenziati, who today – April 3, 2025 – celebrates this major occasion.

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To mark the company’s 40^th anniversary, IBSA has decided to grant all employees worldwide a day off on August 19, the date when Arturo Licenziati first stepped into IBSA.

“This is just a symbolic gesture to express my gratitude for the commitment, dedication and passion of our People, who are the driving force behind our growth. A growth that is not just about business, but also – and above all – about the ability to implement development and work models that place People at the centre of our philosophy and our activities”, said Licenziati.

Indeed, it was on August 19, 1985, that Licenziati took over the management of the Ticino-based company, founded in Lugano in 1945, redefining its vision and strategy. At that time, IBSA had just 40 employees and a turnover of 5 million Swiss francs. However, by the end of the 1980s – in just 5 years – the company had radically transformed, tripling its revenue.

The history of IBSA is the story of a company that evolved from a small pharmaceutical laboratory in the Swiss Canton Ticino into a multinational corporation. What many people saw as an impossible mission, President Licenziati embraced as a challenge to be won, with the aim of forging a new path, focused on innovation and the ability to respond to people’s actual needs.

“Small companies can only grow if they can adapt quickly to sectors that large pharmaceutical companies often overlook”, added Licenziati. “Over the years, we have transformed an idea –producing “drugs in the best form” – into a concrete and successful project, focusing on targeted research that meets the everyday needs of doctors and patients. We have always been a forward-looking company, ready to go beyond and willing to explore new, uncharted paths”.

Since the 1990s, IBSA has embarked on a global expansion, first in Europe and then worldwide. Today the company has 20 subsidiaries across Europe, China and the United States, and distributes its products in over 90 countries across 5 continents, with more than 2,300 employees between headquarters, subsidiaries and production sites.

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