What Bichsel does

Bichsel is a Swiss pharmaceutical and homecare company, headquartered in Unterseen and operating as a subsidiary of Galenica Group since May 2019. Its two legal entities — Laboratorium Dr. G. Bichsel AG (manufacturing) and Grosse Apotheke Dr. G. Bichsel AG (retail pharmacy) — together house three business units: GMP-certified pharmaceutical manufacturing (registered products, hospital preparations, clinical study preparations, and magistral compounding), product-neutral HomeCare services covering enteral/parenteral nutrition, pain and antibiotic infusion therapy, and tracheostomy care for patients across Switzerland, and the Amavita Apotheke Bichsel Interlaken retail pharmacy. Manufacturing output spans capsules, pre-filled syringes, ampoules, PP bottles, tubes, monodoses, and the exclusive Swiss distribution of SyrSpend SF suspension base; quality control relies on HPLC, atomic absorption, UV/Vis, and IR spectrometry with ICH Q10-aligned systems audited by Swissmedic and GESKES.

Revenue is generated across multiple streams: B2B pharmaceutical manufacturing, HomeCare managed services (with direct billing to Swiss health insurers and IV offices), retail pharmacy transactions (vaccinations, health checks, cosmetics, medicines), and e-commerce via a Quatron-powered web shop for metabolic products. Distribution is operated in-house through a 5,000-location logistics center processing 400-600 orders daily via a ~20-driver fleet enabling nationwide same-day and 24-hour delivery. Customer segments include hospitals, nursing homes, Spitex organizations, physicians, veterinarians, pharmacies, medical device companies, and individual retail/homecare patients.

In a material strategic shift, Bichsel will cease manufacturing pharmaceutical products by the end of 2026, while continuing HomeCare Bichsel and the Interlaken pharmacy. A 2026 Lifestage Solutions-powered digital platform will extend HomeCare into patient self-ordering, and product launches (ALPINA+SANA therapeutic ice cream, children's pharmacy services) point to growth concentration in clinical nutrition, homecare, and retail pharmacy rather than manufacturing.

Name

Bichsel

Legal name

Laboratorium Dr. G. Bichsel AG

Website

https://bichsel.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bichsel is a Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer and homecare provider, subsidiary of Galenica Group, producing GMP-certified preparations and offering nationwide HomeCare services (enteral/parenteral nutrition, IV therapy) plus a retail pharmacy in Interlaken, with manufacturing scheduled to cease by end of 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Home Healthcare Services

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (4242), Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (45611), Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110), Food (Health) Supplement Retailers (456191)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Pharmacy Front-End & Sundries Distribution (Health & Wellness, Personal Care, Convenience) (CRAOAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements (CRADAGAF)

Keywords

• Sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Magistral formulations
• Home enteral nutrition
• Clinical homecare services
• Retail pharmacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Unterseen

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Manufacturing of sterile and non-sterile pharmaceutical preparations for hospitals, nursing homes, Spitex organizations, medical companies, veterinarians, physicians, and pharmacies. Includes registered products, hospital preparations, clinical study preparations, and magistral formulations (custom compounded medications).
2. HomeCare Services: Home-based patient care including artificial nutrition (enteral/parenteral), pain and antibiotic therapy, metabolic disease products, and tracheostomy supplies. Services include product-neutral supply, training, and direct billing with health insurers and IV offices.
3. Retail Pharmacy Sales: Retail pharmacy operations through Amavita Apotheke Bichsel Interlaken offering medications, generics, house specialties, natural remedies, cosmetics, baby care, and medical supplies. Includes additional services such as vaccinations, health checks, and home delivery.
4. Direct Billing with Health Insurers: Direct billing services with health insurers (Grundversicherung) and disability insurance (IV) for covered products and services, streamlining administrative burden for patients and relatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bichsel is an integrated Swiss pharmaceutical company with three divisions: (1) Laboratorium Dr. G. Bichsel AG manufactures sterile pharmaceutical preparations, magistral (custom-compounded) formulations, hospital preparations, clinical study preparations, and distributes SyrSpend SF suspension base; (2) HomeCare Bichsel provides home-based clinical nutrition (oral, enteral, parenteral), pain/infusion/antibiotic therapy, metabolic disorder products, and tracheostomy care to patients in their homes; (3) Amavita Apotheke Bichsel Interlaken operates a retail pharmacy selling medicines, cosmetics, and children's pharmacy products, offering health check-ups, delivery, and a Feelgood's loyalty program.

Product overview

Bichsel is a Swiss pharmaceutical and healthcare company organized under two main entities: Laboratorium Dr. G. Bichsel AG (pharmaceutical manufacturing) and the Amavita Apotheke Bichsel (retail pharmacy), both belonging to the Galenica Group. The manufacturing division produces registered pharmaceutical products, hospital preparations, clinical study preparations, and custom magistral formulations including the exclusive SyrSpend SF suspension base. HomeCare Bichsel provides product-neutral homecare services including enteral/parenteral nutrition, pain and antibiotic IV therapy, and tracheostomy care. The retail pharmacy offers medicines, children's pharmacy services, cosmetics, health check-ups, and delivery services. The company also operates a web shop (Quatron) for metabolic products and manages distribution across Switzerland through its own logistics fleet.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Laboratorium Dr. G. Bichsel AG) GMP-certified contract manufacturing of sterile pharmaceutical preparations, hospital preparations, clinical study preparations, and magistral (custom-compounded) formulations for hospitals, clinics, and pharmaceutical partners in Switzerland.
• SyrSpend SF Suspension Base Pharmaceutical-grade suspending base for compounding oral liquid medications; distributed exclusively in Switzerland by Bichsel to pharmacies and hospital pharmacies.
• HomeCare Bichsel — Clinical Home Nutrition and Therapy Home-based healthcare services delivering oral nutritional supplements, enteral and parenteral nutrition, pain and infusion therapy, antibiotic therapy, metabolic disorder products, and tracheostomy care to patients at home, with direct insurer billing.
• Amavita Apotheke Bichsel Interlaken (Retail Pharmacy) Retail pharmacy in Interlaken, Switzerland dispensing prescription and over-the-counter medicines, cosmetics, and children's pharmacy products, and providing health check-ups, home delivery service, web shop access, and the Feelgood's loyalty card program.
• Distribution Centre Services Logistics and distribution services operated from Bichsel's own distribution center, providing nationwide delivery of pharmaceutical and homecare products via an owned fleet.

Quantifiable outcome

• Materials available within 24 hours
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lifestage Solutions AppcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026Digital platform expansion starting summer 2026 enabling patients to independently order stomal care, artificial nutrition therapy, wound care, and incontinence products online. Platform also planned for prescribers to manage patient information and prescriptions digitally.
• Lifestage SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationLifestage Solutions and HomeCare Bichsel have bundled their forces to develop the HomeCare offering and make patient care more efficient. The collaboration provides access to all services and products from a single source through a digital platform. Both brands remain and continue to stand for quality.
• Laboratoire GolazminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for smaller quantities. For compounding requests for articles not in Bichsel's portfolio in quantities under 10 units, customers are referred to Laboratoire Golaz.
• bofrost*suisseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized frozen logistics partner ensuring uninterrupted cold chain for ALPINA+SANA ice cream delivery to HomeCare patients. bofrost*suisse's cold logistics system maintains product quality and safety.
• ALPINA+SANAminorOthersSince April 2025, Bichsel delivers ALPINA+SANA ice cream products nationwide to HomeCare patients. This innovative, fully balanced product was developed at ETH Zurich specifically for malnourished persons.
• SwissmediccoreOthersSwiss regulatory authority granting manufacturing and distribution authorizations. Bichsel holds cantonal and Swissmedic manufacturing permits. Quality systems regularly audited by Swissmedic.
• GESKESminorOthersSwiss Professional Association for Clinical Nutrition. Bichsel is a leading provider in clinical nutrition. GESKES prescriptions available for ordering.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Streuli Pharma AG: Streuli Pharma is a long-standing Swiss pharmaceutical company manufacturing and distributing generics, magistral preparations, and homeopathic products to pharmacies nationwide — closely comparable to Bichsel's manufacturing-wholesale-retail model.
• Mediservice: Mediservice is a Swiss specialty homecare pharmacy focused on direct-to-patient delivery of medications for chronic and complex conditions, including home infusion and nutrition — overlapping significantly with Bichsel's HomeCare business model.
• Hänseler AG: Hänseler is a Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer and wholesaler producing APIs, excipients, and finished dosage forms for pharmacies and hospitals — comparable to Bichsel's manufacturing and wholesale distribution activities.
• TopPharm: TopPharm is one of Switzerland's leading pharmacy groups, offering prescription dispensing, magistral compounding, and health services comparable to Bichsel's pharmacy and compounding operations, though at greater nationwide scale.
• Dr. Bähler Dropa: Dr. Bähler Dropa is a Swiss pharmacy chain operating ~90+ locations with compounding services, hospital supply, and homecare-adjacent offerings — directly comparable to Bichsel's pharmacy and magistral formulation activities.
• Spirig HealthCare AG: Spirig HealthCare is a Swiss manufacturer of dermatological products and sun care with its own distribution to pharmacies — comparable in pharma manufacturing and Swiss pharmacy channel distribution to Bichsel's registered products line.
• Amavita (Galenica AG): Amavita is Galenica Group's largest pharmacy retail network (~170+ locations across Switzerland). Bichsel operates within the same network via 'Amavita Apotheke Bichsel Interlaken,' sharing branding, loyalty programs (Feelgood's), and centralized group services.

Broad incumbents

• Fresenius Kabi: Fresenius Kabi is a global leader in clinical nutrition, infusion therapy, and IV drugs with strong homecare services across Europe — comparable in scope to Bichsel's HomeCare nutrition and infusion therapy offerings, but at multinational scale.
• Galenica AG: Galenica AG is Bichsel's publicly listed parent and Switzerland's largest vertically integrated pharmacy, wholesale (Galexis), and healthcare services group — operates overlapping retail, wholesale, and homecare services at much larger scale.
• Ofac: Ofac is the professional cooperative for Swiss pharmacists, providing wholesale drug distribution and services to ~600 independent pharmacies — comparable to Bichsel's wholesale distribution arm and an alternative supply channel for Bichsel's pharmacy customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bichsel

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bichsel