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Novartis announces revolutionary new treatment

This content was published on Jan 6, 2000 Sufferers from a painful leg condition in Switzerland can now benefit from Apligraf, a revolutionary treatment developed by the Basel-based pharmaceuticals giant, Novartis. Doctors consider Apligraf to be a breakthrough in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. The condition is caused by poorly functioning valves in the veins of the legs. A significant number of…

Timber sector demands steps after Lothar devastation

This content was published on Jan 5, 2000 The Swiss timber industry has called for emergency measures to be implemented to keep it on an even keel, after Hurricane Lothar devastated the country’s forests. The Timber Trade Commission also wants to see a nationwide ban on logging imposed. Tree-felling has already been stopped in canton Basel-country. The commission, which is concerned that a…

Two companies announce major deals

This content was published on Jan 5, 2000 The Georg Fischer industrial corporation and the cement producer, Holderbank, have announced separate deals aimed at strengthening their market positions. Fischer of Schaffhausen said it had won an order worth SFr30 million from DaimlerChrysler US to supply automobile engine connecting rods. The nodular cast iron components will be manufactured on largely automated production lines and…

Mergers cost record amount last year

This content was published on Jan 5, 2000 The merger “virus” continued to hit Switzerland last year, with companies using a record amount of money to put the mergers into place, according to the Zurich weekly “Handelszeitung” newspaper. In its first issue of the year, the newspaper reports that there were 343 mergers involving Swiss firms last year, 12 less than in 1998.…

Strong showing for retail trade

This content was published on Jan 5, 2000 Swiss retail sales rose four per cent in November year on year, a further indication that the economy is staging a strong recovery. Sales were up by 1.5 per cent when adjustments were made for the number of shopping days, according to the federal statistics office. It said November 1999 had one more shopping day…

Researchers in Switzerland map key protein

This content was published on Jan 5, 2000 A research team at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich has managed to map a three-dimensional structure of a human prion protein. This is the protein that plays an important part in the development of the human form of mad cow disease, Creutzfeldt Jakob disease. The research, carried out at the Institute of…

Banker stirs up debate on political reform process

This content was published on Jan 4, 2000 The head of the Credit Suisse Group, Lukas Mühlemann, says Switzerland needs to undergo radical privatisation therapy. While such proposals are not new, Mühlemann’s comments have reopened a debate on Switzerland’s political reform process. Mühlemann did not mince his words.He proposes to:: – privatise hospitals, schools, and public broadcasting– relax environmental and zoning laws– lower…

Swiss National Bank almost doubles its profit

This content was published on Jan 4, 2000 The Swiss National Bank has reported that it almost doubled its profit last year to reach SFr4.4 billion (1998 – SFr2.4 billion), largely thanks to currency gains against the Swiss franc. Commenting on last year’s performance, the National Bank said that the US dollar had jumped in value from SFr1.3772 at the end of 1998…

Swiss franc strengthens against US dollar

This content was published on Jan 4, 2000 The Swiss franc on Tuesday continued its recent gains against the US dollar. Analysts say the franc is benefiting from doubts about whether the US economy can keep up its strong performance, as well as from growing optimism about the European economy. Marcus Allenspach, an economist at Cantrade private bank, says he expects the franc…

Guidance team to tackle forest clean-up

This content was published on Jan 4, 2000 Switzerland has set up an emergency team to coordinate clean-up efforts after Hurricane Lothar ripped through Swiss forests and caused hundreds of millions of francs in damage. The formation of the team was agreed at a special summit in the capital Berne, where federal and cantonal forestry offcials tried to find agreement on financial compensation…

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Novartis announces revolutionary new treatment

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Timber sector demands steps after Lothar devastation

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Two companies announce major deals

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Mergers cost record amount last year

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Strong showing for retail trade

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Researchers in Switzerland map key protein

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Banker stirs up debate on political reform process

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Swiss National Bank almost doubles its profit

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Swiss franc strengthens against US dollar

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Guidance team to tackle forest clean-up

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