Investment theme longevity: «Preventive healthcare comes into focus»

Why is longevity a growth driver for invest­ments in the healthcare sector? The three key take­aways from the interview:

Longevity is currently a hot topic. But is it truly a long-term investment theme – and what does this mean for investors focusing on the healthcare sector?

Chi Tran-Brändli: The investment theme of longevity refers to the phenomenon of increasing average lifespans across the global population, a development driven by significant advancements in healthcare, improved living conditions, and enhanced disease management. This trend may be particularly compelling for investors in the healthcare sector, because it heralds a growing demand for healthcare services, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.

So, is longevity a key growth driver?

Clément Maclou: Correct. As people live longer, the need for managing chronic diseases and age-related conditions becomes more pronounced, creating a sustained market for healthcare products and services. Furthermore, the quest to improve quality of life and manage the complexities of aging, as well as the need to make health more efficient in order to limit growth in health care costs, spurs innovation, presenting numerous investment opportunities in cutting-edge treatments and technologies.

Let’s take a closer look at the trend. How has the market for healthcare investments and longevity evolved in recent years?

Clément Maclou: In recent years, the market for health investments and longevity has experienced substantial growth, characterized by several notable trends. There has been a marked increase in funding for biotechnology and health technology startups that focus on longevity. Technological advancements in genomics, robotics, and telehealth have in our view revolutionized the sector, enhancing the precision and accessibility of healthcare. Additionally, the health sector has witnessed a wave of mergers and acquisitions, with larger pharmaceutical and biotech companies acquiring smaller firms to strengthen their portfolios in longevity-focused innovations. A growing emphasis on preventive healthcare has also emerged, leading to increased investments in lifestyle and wellness products aimed at maintaining health and preventing disease.

Which companies and business models are particularly interesting for investors focused on the longevity investment theme?

Chi Tran-Brändli: Investments in longevity are particularly promising within four key sub-sectors: Healthy Lifestyle, Healthcare Innovation, Healthcare Efficiency, and the Silver Economy. Companies in the Healthy Lifestyle sub-theme offer products and services that promote well-being and active lifestyle, such as organic foods and fitness technology. Healthcare Innovation focuses on firms developing novel drugs and medical technologies, including diagnostic imaging and devices and drugs to better manage the growing global scourge of diabetes and obesity. Healthcare Efficiency includes companies enhancing healthcare delivery through better prevention or digital health solutions.

Four potentially promising sub-sectors of Healthy Longevity at a glance

And what does the sub-sector Silver Economy have to offer?

Chi Tran-Brändli: The Silver Economy targets businesses addressing the needs of our elderly such as senior housing or financial planning. These sub-themes encompass a range of companies well-positioned to benefit from the growing demand for solutions that enhance quality of life, promote healthy aging, increase the efficiency of the healthcare system while reducing the costs.

So far, we’ve talked a lot about the opportunities the longevity trend can offer for investments in the healthcare sector. But what about the risks?

Clément Maclou: Investors contemplating investments in the health sector and longevity should consider several risks. Regulatory hurdles pose a significant challenge, as the health sector is heavily regulated, and obtaining approvals for new treatments and devices can be both time-consuming and costly. Furthermore, the market is highly competitive, with numerous companies vying for innovation and market share, which can impact growth and profitability. Additionally, the current political uncertainties – tariffs, drug pricing, NIH budget cuts – arising from the new Trump administration in the U.S., can negatively impact companies that are on the wrong side of the regulatory changes.

This scenario has already caused turbulence in the markets. What could be the potential consequences?

Clément Maclou: This potentially leads to increased costs, reduced funding, and challenges in maintaining competitive pricing. Finally, macro factors such as economic downturns can affect government reimbursement for and consumer spending on health products and services.

If we look even further ahead: What are the future prospects driven by the longevity trend?

Chi Tran-Brändli: The prospects and potential developments of the health sector and the megatrend of longevity seem promising to us, with several new opportunities on the horizon. Continued advancements in medical research could significantly extend human lifespan and improve quality of life. There will likely be an increased focus on preventive healthcare, which could reduce healthcare costs and enhance population health. Emerging markets, especially China and India, may present interesting opportunities as they invest in healthcare infrastructure and services. Collaborative innovation between technology companies, healthcare providers, and research institutions could also drive further advancements. On the sector level, the underperformance of healthcare in the last two years as a result of funding and policy uncertainties has resulted in the stocks of many companies being in our view attractive, despite their possible long-term growth prospects due to the structural trends.

And how can we achieve a sustainable approach to managing healthcare costs?

Clément Maclou: Additionally, there will be a growing emphasis on sustainable and cost-effective healthcare solutions to manage the economic impact of an aging population. These developments will create numerous investment opportunities across various sectors within the health industry, but not only. We believe that sectors, such as healthy lifestyle and the silver economy, will also be among the beneficiaries.

This interview was conducted as part of an article published in the Swiss Handelszeitung on July 10, 2025.

Investment theme «Healthy Longevity»: Insights