Pharmaceutical Network June 27 　 Large pharmaceutical companies have shifted their R&D focus to buying partners’ rights to sell new drugs or acquiring target drugs. In 2015, only AstraZeneca increased investment in independent research and development of new drugs.

　　In the past few years, due to the influence of the patent cliff, large pharmaceutical companies have invested in independent research and development of new drugs from the peak era to decline. It can be seen from the relevant data that the extent to which this investment center of gravity shifts outward.

　　EvaluatePharma's 2015 data analysis shows that 6 of the world's top 10 pharmaceutical companies have achieved sales of less than 20% of their total sales from self-developed drugs.

　　Only 3 companies account for more than half of sales

　　Pfizer's acquisition of Anacor Pharmaceutical's drugs for $5.2 billion is an example. In this acquisition, the former mainly purchased an eczema drug developed by the latter. If the drug can be approved by the FDA within the expected time, it will be marketed early next year. The high cost of clinical trials and the risk of failure have long been a stumbling block to productivity, so for many pharmaceutical companies, it is more wise to transfer these risks by acquiring drugs from other companies than to develop new drugs independently.

　　Among the top ten pharmaceutical companies in the world, only Novartis, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline have more than half of their profits from their self-developed drugs. This fact further proves the fact that large pharmaceutical companies The focus of investment has changed.

　　Among them, Novartis' independent research and development of online products has made it the number one company in the global prescription drug sales, while the remaining two companies face greater challenges in the sales of independent research and development products.

　　The three companies have adopted different measures for investment in R&D. In 2015, only AstraZeneca increased its investment in independent research and development of new drugs. The company's recent R&D line has no big products yet: among the four drugs that have been on the market, with sales of more than $100 million and growing at a double-digit rate, only one drug, namely Brilinta, is the company's independent Drugs developed.