Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche

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Lore & Background

Fritz Hoffmann was born 24 October 1868 in Basel, the third of five children, to Friedrich Hoffmann, a silk ribbon manufacturer, and Anna Elisabeth Hoffmann. His godparents included his maternal grandfather, Johann Heinrich Merian, an affluent merchant who owned Teufen Castle, and his uncle, Carl Felix Burckhardt, who served as Mayor of Basel. After compulsory schooling in Basel, he completed an apprenticeship at a bank in Yverdon-les-Bains in 1886. He then returned to Basel as a trainee at Bohny, Hollinger & Co, a pharmacy. Between 1891 and 1892 he worked in London, and between 1892 and 1893 in Hamburg to further his experience in chemistry-related business. Following the 1892 cholera epidemic in Hamburg, he returned to Basel and entered his former employer Bohny, Hollinger & Co intending to become a full partner. He headed the department that manufactured floor wax and essential oils. After a dispute with the owners, he received a loan of 90,000 Swiss Francs from his father to acquire the laboratory. In 1894, he formed Hoffmann, Traub & Co. with Max Carl Traub, with his father contributing the majority of capital and Traub some patents and contracts. In 1896, Traub left and the company was renamed F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Co. Hoffmann hired chemist Emil Christoph Barell, who developed Sirolin, a cough medication that, despite its ineffectiveness, made the company commercially very successful. Hoffmann opened branches in Germany (1897), Paris (1903), New York (1905), Vienna (1907), London (1908), St. Petersburg (1910), and Yokohoma (1912). In 1918, the company was consolidated into a stock corporation. In 1895, Hoffmann married Adèle La Roche, and they had two sons: Emanuel Fritz Hoffmann and Alfred Hoffmann. Following Swiss practice, he hyphenated his name to Hoffmann-La Roche. They divorced in 1919, and that same year he married Elisabeth von der Mühll. Hoffmann died on 18 April 1920 aged 51.

Reader's Guide

Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche's significance lies in founding the pharmaceutical concern F. Hoffmann-La Roche & Co in 1896, which grew from a small laboratory into an international firm. Starting with a loan of 90,000 Swiss Francs from his father to acquire a laboratory, he formed Hoffmann, Traub & Co. in 1894 with Max Carl Traub. After Traub left in 1896, the company was renamed and Hoffmann hired chemist Emil Christoph Barell, who developed Sirolin, a cough medication that, despite its ineffectiveness, made the company commercially very successful. Hoffmann expanded the firm internationally, opening branches in Germany (1897), Paris (1903), New York (1905), Vienna (1907), London (1908), St. Petersburg (1910), and Yokohoma (1912). In 1918, the company was consolidated into a stock corporation. Hoffmann married Adèle La Roche in 1895, and they had two sons. He hyphenated his surname to Hoffmann-La Roche following Swiss practice. He divorced in 1919 and married Elisabeth von der Mühll that same year. He died on 18 April 1920 aged 51.

Did You Know?

• Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche received a loan of 90,000 Swiss Francs from his father to acquire a laboratory, which in modern equivalency is approximately 1–1.2 million Swiss Francs.
• The cough medication Sirolin, developed by chemist Emil Christoph Barell, made the company commercially very successful despite its ineffectiveness.
• Hoffmann opened branches of his firm in seven cities: Germany (1897), Paris (1903), New York (1905), Vienna (1907), London (1908), St. Petersburg (1910), and Yokohoma (1912).
• He was quarantined during the 1892 cholera epidemic in Hamburg before returning to Basel.
• His godfather was Carl Felix Burckhardt, who served as Mayor of Basel.