With offices in Auckland for over half a century, global pharmaceutical leader Roche is partnering with New Zealand’s health ecosystem to deliver positive outcomes for patients and the local health industry.
As the world’s leading biotech company Roche has global reach, but its approach is firmly rooted in a deep understanding and connection within the local environments where it operates.
Headquartered in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Roche Aotearoa New Zealand’s eighty staff (most of whom are local) work across two key businesses, Roche Pharmaceuticals and Roche Diagnostics. And while it may be geographically distant from the company’s Swiss headquarters, the business plays an important role in Roche’s global research and development network.
One of the things that sets Roche apart is that we remain a family-owned company, says New Zealand general manager Alexander Muelhaupt. That means we can make long-term investments in finding new and better ways to bring innovation to patients around the world.
"Our focus is less on simply pushing products out to the market, and more on working with local healthcare systems to ensure patients have access to the right treatments, at the right time, in a sustainable way. We put every decision through a triple lens – how do patients benefit, how do healthcare systems benefit, and how does Roche benefit?"
In the healthcare industry, innovation is key. And in New Zealand, Roche is working to improve healthcare outcomes through some key focus areas. In particular:
• addressing health inequities through cultural partnering,
• advancing the development of new treatments through clinical trials, and
• the development of personalised, targeted treatments.
Cultural partnering
“In New Zealand, Māori health status remains significantly poorer than that of New Zealand Europeans,” notes Alexander. “Putting patients first means addressing the significant health inequities facing Māori, and the only way to do that is by working with Māori.
“It’s about improving inequities in health experiences and outcomes for Māori by finding different ways to engage. And the first step in that is learning and understanding different perspectives.”
That’s why in 2023, Roche and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua signed the first-ever agreement between a global pharmaceutical company and an iwi Māori tribal organisation. The agreement brings Roche and Ngāti Whātua together to explore new avenues for disease prevention, treatment and wellness for the descendants of Ngāti Whātua.
“Māori have a more holistic view of health than some other cultures. The agreement will help us explore how to bring different approaches together and address the specific challenges Māori experience – it is about recognising and respecting indigenous knowledge and practices while creating a more inclusive approach to healthcare,” says Alexander.
Personalised healthcare
Every person is unique – from their genetics to their lifestyle, to their environment – but often the healthcare solutions they receive are not. Roche has a strong focus on targeted, personalised treatment, which moves away from one-size-fits-all treatment to evidence-based, technology-enabled solutions tailored to individuals.
Molecular information and genomic analysis are key to this approach, particularly in cancer treatments. In New Zealand, Roche’s Foundation Medicine business offers genomic profiling of individual cancers to allow patients to be matched with targeted therapies.
“Personalised medicine will increasingly transform healthcare,” says Alexander. “At Roche we’re proud to play our part in bringing these innovations to New Zealand. We’re continuing to work with the healthcare system to ensure New Zealand has the capability and capacity to deliver it to patients.”
Clinical trials
The next generation of medical breakthroughs will be powerful agents for change – with the potential to deliver life-changing benefits for patients while also contributing to health system sustainability. Clinical trials are key to the development of new, innovative treatments. They generate data and insights which inform all aspects of the process and ensure new treatments are both safe and effective. And according to Alexander, New Zealand is a particularly good place to conduct clinical trials.
“New Zealand offers access to a diverse population, which gives a breadth of data and reflects a globally diverse population that we try to replicate in our clinical studies,” he says. “It also offers a strong regulatory framework and a business-friendly environment with high-quality research facilities, which means it’s easier to get studies up and running and therefore accelerate the delivery of new medicines.”
There are significant benefits for New Zealand, too. Roche, for example, has invested over $30 million over the last five years in local research and development, providing a boost to both the local economy and the development of the industry.
New Zealanders who take part in clinical trials also benefit from access to new treatments and specialised healthcare they might not otherwise receive.
“Running clinical trials in New Zealand means we can bring more innovation here, allowing us to catch up with access to modern medicines that are lacking here,” says Alexander. “Importantly, it also gives us data about the people we want to bring a new treatment to. Ultimately, that leads to better outcomes for patients.”
Why Auckland?
There’s a strong overlap between the way Roche does business and the benefits Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland offers. It’s an easy and transparent place to do business, with well-developed infrastructure and a skilled and stable workforce. It’s also a place where collaboration thrives.
“We’re very much into building partnerships, and New Zealand has a very open and collaborative business environment,” says Alexander. “It’s just part of the Kiwi DNA."
“For example, we work with a range of stakeholders from the University of Auckland and the scientific community, hospitals, private cancer centres, government organisations, healthcare providers, iwi groups and more."
“People work hard here. New Zealanders are innately curious, and they like to push the boundaries. It’s also a fantastic place to live – it has the feel of an international city, but it’s easy to get around. It offers a lot for people and for families."
“There’s also a real passion here that we are all working towards the same goal – improving outcomes for patients and the healthcare system as a whole. There’s an opportunity to make a real difference in New Zealand.”
Find out more
To learn more about opportunities in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, get in touch with our team of experts.