Roche is seeking relief from US import tariffs, arguing that its exports of American-made drugs and diagnostics offset the value of products it ships into the country.
Reporting a conference call with chief executive Thomas Schinecke, Reuters said the Swiss pharma giant is engaged in ongoing discussions with officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, highlighting concerns that a strict push for domestic-only production could sharply increase costs.
Citing the complexity of its diagnostics portfolio, Schinecker noted that producing thousands of individual products in every market is impractical.
Instead, Roche is proposing a volume-based balance: Matching what it imports into the US with what it manufactures there, some of which is destined for export.
Earlier this week, the Swiss drugs giant announced plans to invest $50 billion in the US over the next five years, promising to create more than 12,000 jobs.
It also reaffirmed its full-year outlook on Thursday, reporting a 7% rise in first-quarter sales.