Actelion at a glance

Actelion Ltd, founded in December 1997, is a biopharmaceutical company with corporate headquarters in Allschwil/Basel, Switzerland, that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative treatments to serve high unmet medical needs.  

Actelion’s flagship product, Tracleer®, an orally available dual endothelin receptor antagonist, has been approved as a therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a chronic, life-threatening disorder that severely compromises the functions of the lungs and heart. Ventavis®, the only inhalable PAH therapy in the United States, was acquired in 2006. Zavesca®, in-licensed from Oxford GlycoSciences, is the only approved oral treatment for type 1 Gaucher disease, a rare debilitating metabolic disorder.

In 2006, Actelion was evaluating 8 compounds in various phases of clinical development and pursuing 25 projects in drug discovery that target cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, immunological, and infectious diseases, as well as metabolic and central nervous system disorders.

The over 1,200 Actelion employees  strive to combine the innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and flexibility of a biotech firm with the financial, risk management, regulatory and commercial discipline of a large pharmaceutical company. Actelion’s strategy of maintaining maximum value from scientific innovation is complemented by ongoing alliances with Merck in orally available renin inhibitors for cardiovascular indications and with Roche in S1P₁ agonism in autoimmune disorder.

Actelion has set a rapid pace in achieving commercial success. The first substantial product sales were generated during 2002, followed by a full-year net income in 2004. Actelion posted sales of CHF 945.7 million in 2006. Operating income was CHF 268.2 million and net income CHF 241.1 million.

Actelion’s shares are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol: ATLN). CHF million except per share and employee data
includes discontinued operations