Neck and Crop in Aargau, Switzerland: An Exceptional Location for Research and Development in the Medical Field


Wednesday, November 02, 2011 by Aargau Services

"We deal in hair, human hair. Hair roots contain something like the precursor cells of skin. To put it simply: we cultivate skin from hair." That is how Wolfgang Richter, CEO of Euroderm, describes the activity of his company that recently moved to Dättwil, a suburb of the city of Baden.

The process of converting hair to skin takes only 4 1/2 weeks. At that point, one's own skin can be applied. This method for a broad application field has in the meantime been approved by clinical studies, explains Wolfgang Richter who accompanied the entire comprehensive process from idea to marketable product. Eventually, he also assumed the position of Euroderm CEO.

From the patient, for the patient

While Euroderm GmbH in Leipzig is responsible for research and development, the new Euroderm AG in Dättwil is responsible for sales and marketing. "The new home in Dättwil is also the parent company", Wolfgang Richter proudly states. "The highlight of the new method consists in the fact that the solution goes from the patient to the patient: the body naturally accepts this new skin. This method is used in particular against chronic wounds but is meant to also be applied later to cases of depigmentation (vitiligo). We are also working on cultivating skin models with active cells. These could replace animal studies for many applications, such as cosmetics."

A Swiss idea returns

"I would like to say that we were that clever", a smiling Dr. Wolfgang Richter says. But it wasn't like that: a doctor at the "Inselspital Bern" struck upon the idea in the 80's. His research results were published. The first practical experiments took place in Munich. In 2002, Euroderm was founded in Germany. "But it was always our intention that the firm should one day return to Switzerland", Richter emphasizes.

Unbureaucratic assistance and efficient services

The heart of the firm now resides in Baden-Dättwil. Here the threads converge. Why Aargau? Because Aargau has a good reputation and an exceptional location. In addition, our needs were quickly recognized by Aargau Services who helped us find the ideal location in a very unbureaucratic fashion. To that extent, Aargau Services is co-responsible for the location of our new company headquarters. Switzerland has furthermore a reputation of being innovative, high-tech and an important market. It is precisely in the medical field that Switzerland occupies a prestigious position", Richter emphasizes. "Products penetrating the marketplace here will succeed in the rest of the world, too."

Full immersion

"During Euroderm's early phase, I was working alongside in the fields of biotechnology and immunology. During the first practical experiments, I was totally fascinated. The field results were even better than theory had predicted. Soon we had a product that was ready for the market and we founded the company, Euroderm. And from that time on, I was fully immersed."

Fascinated by the many impressions

"I am still living with my wife and my two children in Freising near Munich at this point", Richter says and immediately adds - almost apologetically. "But the more I am in Aargau, the more comfortable I feel here. It is fascinating to see the amount and variety of impressions one can gather across such a short distance. And I have probably not yet seen much of what the Aargau has to offer."