HISTORY OF ROCHE

 1896: Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche founds F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Co. in Basel,
Switzerland, recognizing the potential of industrial medicine production.
 1897-1910: Roche's factory in Grenzach, Germany, expands, and the majority of
manufacturing operations move there. Roche establishes a network of agents
and subsidiaries worldwide.
 World War I (1914-1918): Roche faces challenges during the war, including a
German boycott of its products, financial difficulties, and the loss of the Russian
market and assets in the 1917 revolution.
 1920: Fritz Hoffmann, the company's founder, passes away.
 1930s: Roche experiences an upsurge in its vitamin production, contributing to
its return to prosperity. The company begins its commitment to the U.S. market
with investments in New York and Nutley.
 1950s-1960s: Roche diversifies into various healthcare sectors, including
pharmaceuticals, electronic medical instruments, medical publishing, and
agrochemicals. Roche researchers discover benzodiazepines, which lead to
significant advances in medicine.
 1970s: Roche establishes research institutes such as the Roche Institute of
Molecular Biology in Nutley, New Jersey, and the Basel Institute for Immunology.
The company continues its expansion into different fields.
 1980s: Roche begins to consolidate its corporate activities through acquisitions
and divestments, creating separate business units. It operates with four core
divisions: pharmaceuticals, vitamins and fine chemicals, diagnostics, and flavors
and fragrances.
 2000s: Roche intensifies its focus on innovation and biotechnology, leading to
advances in diagnostic techniques and targeted medicines. It integrates with
biotech pioneer Genentech in 2009, enhancing its access to innovation and
personalized healthcare.

TOP 10 DRUGS

1. (Avastin is a monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor

A (VEGF-A). With the initial approval in the United States for advanced colorectal
cancer in 2004, Avastin became the first anti-angiogenic therapy made widely
available for the treatment of patients with an advanced cancer.)
2. (Alecensa is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets ALK fusion proteins,
preventing signaling within cancer cells to inhibit their growth and survival.
Alecensa is a highly selective, central nervous system-active, oral medicine used
for the treatment of people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose
tumors are identified as anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive.)
3. (CellCept is an immunosuppressant medication that, in combination with
corticosteroids and either ciclosporin or tacrolimus, is indicated for the prevention
of organ rejection in patients receiving kidney, heart or liver transplants. It is also
indicated for the treatment of patients with Class III-V lupus nephritis.)
4. (Copegus is an antiviral medication that, in combination with other medicinal
products, is indicated for the treatment of patients 5 years of age and older with
chronic hepatitis C virus infection who have compensated liver disease and have
not been previously treated with interferon alpha.)
5. (Erivedge works by blocking abnormal functioning of the Hedgehog cell signalling
pathway. Abnormal activation of this pathway is responsible for tumour
development in most basal cell carcinomas. Erivedge is a capsule taken once-
daily to treat adults with a type of skin cancer, called basal cell carcinoma, that
has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be treated effectively with surgery
or radiation.)
6. (Esbriet is an oral anti-fibrotic medicine approved for the treatment of Idiopathic
Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), and is available in approximately 40 countries
worldwide.)
7. (NeoRecormon contains the active substance epoetin beta and is a medicine that
stimulates the growth of red blood cells. It is indicated for the treatment of
patients with anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD), or chemotherapy-
induced anemia (when treating certain cancers). It is also used to prevent
anemia in premature babies, or for patients where blood will be extracted before
they undergo surgery.)
8. (Madopar is available in over 80 countries worldwide, and is an oral formulation
of levodopa and the decarboxylase inhibitor benserazide. It is used to treat
patients with Parkinson's disease and restless leg syndrome (RLS).)
9. (Roaccutane is indicated for the treatment of severe forms of acne (nodular or
conglobate acne, or acne at risk of permanent scarring), and acne which has
failed to respond to standard therapies with systemic antibacterials and topical
therapy.)
10. (Zelboraf is an oral, small molecule kinase inhibitor. It is designed to inhibit some
mutated forms of BRAF, which cause abnormal signaling inside cancer cells
leading to tumor growth. It is indicated for the treatment of patients with BRAF
V600 mutation-positive advanced or inoperable melanoma.)