Top 15 Pharmaceutical Companies by R&D Pipeline Size

Today, increasing shift from the traditional pharmaceutical drugs more towards the niche drug therapeutics over generic blockbuster drugs has led to the increase in the R&D pipeline size. Pharma industry is witnessing intense competition, with more head-to-head competition between on-market drugs within therapeutic areas, increased investment and more R&D spendings.

R&D pipeline refers to the various stages of development that a drug or product goes through before it is approved for commercialization and becomes available to patients. R&D process involves various stages, including initial research, compound testing, pre-clinical and clinical trials, and regulatory approval. It is worth noting that not all products in the pipeline will successfully make it to market, as the development process involves rigorous testing, regulatory approvals and potential setbacks or failures. Data provided here presents a comprehensive overview of the pharmaceutical R&D, including key statistics related to R&D spending and pipeline size.

Roche leads the ranking among the top pharmaceutical companies worldwide with 218 products in the R&D pipeline, closely followed by Pfizer, indicating their substantial commitment to drug discovery and development.

Global pharmaceutical revenues are forecast to grow at a compounded annual rate of 5.9% up to 2028, according to the latest World Preview report published by Evaluate. Based on the provided information, the top 15 pharmaceutical companies worldwide by the size of their R&D pipeline as of 2024 are as follows:

Roche

Roche leads the top 15 pharmaceutical companies list by R&D pipeline size of 218 drug candidates. Roche is a multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Company invests heavily in research and development, with a strong emphasis on personalized medicine and genomics. By 2026, Roche is projected to spend 14 billion U.S. dollars on pharmaceutical research and development. Large pipeline is an indicator of discovering more new drugs and expanding their range.

Pfizer

Pfizer follows Roche closely with 205 drug candidates in the R&D pipeline. Pfizer had an R&D ratio of 18.29%, or $10.7 billion in 2023, demonstrating a substantial investment in research and development.

AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is ranked 3rd among the top 15 pharmaceutical companies based on the size of their research and development (R&D) pipeline. The company currently has 166 drug candidates in its R&D pipeline, which is a significant number. Size of AstraZeneca’s pipeline demonstrates its investment in research and development, which indicates it’s long-term growth and success. It is an important metric for investors and stakeholders, as it reflects the company’s potential for future revenue and market share growth.

Eli Lilly

Eli Lilly has an impressive R&D pipeline with a total of 159 products. Their R&D pipeline highlight their efforts in bringing new, effective treatments to patients in need.

Bristol-Meyer Squibb

Bristol-Meyer Squibb has 158 products in the R&D pipeline. Bristol-Meyer Squibb’s commitment to R&D reflects its long-term strategy of sustaining growth and staying at the forefront of medical innovation.

Novartis

Novartis, a leading pharmaceutical company, currently has 154 products in its research and development (R&D) pipeline. These products are at various stages of development, ranging from early pre-clinical testing to late-stage clinical trials. Novartis invests heavily in R&D to discover and develop innovative treatments for a wide range of diseases and conditions. The products in the pipeline cover a diverse range of therapeutic areas, including oncology, immunology, neuroscience and cardiovascular diseases.

Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson, headquartered in New Jersey, has an impressive pipeline of 150 drug candidates in its research and development pipeline. These products cover wide therapeutic areas and medical specialties. Johnson & Johnson is a major pharmaceutical company, which had a total employee count of about 135 thousand people in 2020. They have also significant medical devices and consumer products divisions.

Jiangsu Hengrui Pharma

Jiangsu Hengrui Pharma holds 147 products in the R&D pipeline.

Merck & Co.

Merck & Co. has an impressive R&D pipeline with a total of 145 products. It represents potential future revenue streams for the company, as successful products generate significant sales and profits. Overall, Merck’s 145-product R&D pipeline highlights its position as a leading pharmaceutical company advancing healthcare through research and development.

Sanofi

Sanofi reports 142 products in the R&D pipeline.

GSK

GSK, or GlaxoSmithKline, is a British multinational pharmaceutical company with 138 products in the R&D pipeline. It was formed in 2000 through the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham.

Takeda

Takeda is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Japan with 130 products in the R&D pipeline. Takeda specializes in research and development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical products. The company focuses on therapeutic areas such as oncology, gastroenterology and neuroscience. Example of a prescription medicine developed by Takeda is Entyvio, which is used to treat Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In addition to pharmaceuticals, Takeda has a presence in the consumer healthcare sector, offering products for self-care and personal health.

AbbVie

AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, currently has a diverse R&D pipeline consisting of 111 products. For oncology, AbbVie is actively developing novel therapies to treat multiple types of cancers, including solid tumors and hematological malignancies.

Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Germany. It has 111 drugs in the R&D pipeline. Their pharmaceutical range includes prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vaccines and animal health products. Company has various therapeutic drugs on respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, oncology and central nervous system disorders.

Sino Biopharmaceutical

Sino Biopharmaceutical is a pharmaceutical company based in China having 103 products in the R&D pipeline.

This comprehensive list provides an insight into the robust R&D pipelines of these leading pharmaceutical companies as of 2024. Location of most pharmaceutical R&D companies showed that 39% of all pharmaceutical R&D companies were headquartered in the United States, indicating the significant role of the U.S. in pharmaceutical R&D globally.

Also check the list of Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies in India and Top 10 PCD Pharma Companies in India.