Top pharma companies worldwide 2024, by size of R&D pipeline
When it comes to the development of new drugs as of January 2024, Swiss-based company Roche was the leader among the global top pharmaceutical companies. With 218 products in the R&D pipeline, Roche leads the ranking, closely followed by U.S. company Pfizer. Among the global top 15 companies based on products in the pipeline, six were from the United States. In 2023, research and development spending in the pharmaceutical industry stood at over 260 billion U.S. dollars worldwide.
What is pharmaceutical R&D about?
Pharmaceutical research and development involves all steps of discovering and developing a new drug: from the initial research of disease processes and compound testing to pre-clinical and all clinical trial stages. At a certain point in this process - usually during the pre-clinical phase – a governmental authority is involved to overview, regulate, and eventually approve the product. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), headquartered in White Oaks, Maryland, is the principal agency associated with these processes.
Innovation is the key
More than most other industries, pharmaceutical companies are under pressure to develop new, innovative products. Time-limited patent protection of their products and the following threat of a sales slump through generic and biosimilar competition are the major reasons. Accordingly, drug manufacturers must invest significant amounts into research and development. Compared to other industries, the pharmaceutical sector has by far the highest R&D expenditures per employee. With the increasing complexity of pharmaceutical R&D over the last two decades, the number of research collaborations is also clearly on the rise.
What is pharmaceutical R&D about?
Pharmaceutical research and development involves all steps of discovering and developing a new drug: from the initial research of disease processes and compound testing to pre-clinical and all clinical trial stages. At a certain point in this process - usually during the pre-clinical phase – a governmental authority is involved to overview, regulate, and eventually approve the product. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), headquartered in White Oaks, Maryland, is the principal agency associated with these processes.
Innovation is the key
More than most other industries, pharmaceutical companies are under pressure to develop new, innovative products. Time-limited patent protection of their products and the following threat of a sales slump through generic and biosimilar competition are the major reasons. Accordingly, drug manufacturers must invest significant amounts into research and development. Compared to other industries, the pharmaceutical sector has by far the highest R&D expenditures per employee. With the increasing complexity of pharmaceutical R&D over the last two decades, the number of research collaborations is also clearly on the rise.
