Etienne Jornod, Om Pharma‘S Executive Chairman Receives Swiss Biotech Success Stories Award 2022

OM Pharma is pleased to announce that Etienne Jornod, its Executive Chairman and co-owner, has been recognised as winner of the Swiss Biotech Success Stories Awards 2022.

The awards, bestowed annually by the Swiss Biotech Association, celebrates those who have made important and sustainable contributions to the biotech industry in Switzerland.

The Swiss entrepreneur was particularly distinguished for his scientific and commercial achievements and his lasting contribution to the Swiss biopharmaceutical sector.

Lucas Bolliger, President of the Jury of the Swiss Biotech Award commented: "Etienne Jornod is only the second winner (after the Nobel Prize laureate Werner Arber) that receives the award as an individual for his personal contribution in the life sciences sector. All other awards went to companies or foundations. The jury has been impressed by his entrepreneurial spirit, his global vision and his ability to build companies and to thereby generate sustainable jobs and value for the biopharma ecosystem in Switzerland and abroad."

Etienne Jornod was Executive Chairman of the Galenica and Vifor Pharma Group, delivering 25 consecutive double-digit net profit growth, supporting millions of patients, and creating thousands of jobs. On 30 September 2020, he personally acquired OM Pharma together with entrepreneurs, aiming to create a unique biopharmaceutical company based on bacteria lysates expertise. OM Pharma’s transformation will include new research and development aimed at extending the use of bacterial lysates for the prevention and treatment of a wide range of immuno-inflammatory diseases that affect millions of children and adults, including asthma, atopic dermatitis, recurrent wheezing and other diseases of the respiratory and urinary tract systems. More than CHF 250 million has already been committed to these initiatives and to the extension of the manufacturing capacity at the Geneva biotechnology center.

"This Swiss Biotech Success Stories Award is a real honor, for the path taken with Galenica and Vifor Pharma Group and for the choice I made to invest substantially in the OM Pharma project. This award is a testament to the team of talented and dedicated people who have accompanied me throughout my career and who are the foundation of our long-term success,” said Etienne Jornod.

This award further underlines the choices made by Etienne Jornod to focus on OM Pharma and to believe in its ability to become a leading global biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of patients with respiratory and immuno-inflammatory diseases around the world.