MSD Switzerland (Merck Sharp & Dohme AG), the Swiss subsidiary of the pharmaceutical company MSD, which is headquartered in the US State of New Jersey, has reaffirmed its commitment to its Lucerne site. As the new Managing Director Dimitri Gitas, who has been in this role since April, highlights in an interview with the newspaper “Luzerner Zeitung”, MSD’s Swiss subsidiary, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, is preparing for its future in the city and canton of Lucerne.
The 44-year-old Gitas, who was born in Canada, states that since being founded MSD has invested half a billion Swiss francs in the canton of Lucerne. This figure includes 180 million Swiss francs in the last ten years alone, with just under 20 million Swiss francs having been put towards the expansion of the laboratory in Schachen, where MSD produces drugs for global studies, in the past three years.
The number of clinical studies brought to Switzerland by MSD has increased fourfold within the space of a decade. This attracts researchers and helps to generate innovations for patients. In 2025, MSD Switzerland is set to merge its three offices in Lucerne and Kriens in the canton of Lucerne at its new site in the Rösslimatt district, which in the words of Gitas represents “a further commitment from MSD to Lucerne as a place of business”.
According to Gitas, Switzerland boasts an excellent healthcare system. Moreover, at 12 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), it is very well financed too. However, as far as digitalization within the sector is concerned, there is “no leader”. He adds: “In Switzerland we have practically 26 different systems and strategies. In my opinion, we need to find ways to standardize healthcare across the country”. Gitas also explains that in his view there is still room for improvement in terms of prevention and early diagnosis.
