Brian Buntz

Nature study and a recent webinar reveal the true scale of biopharma R&D investment, challenging common industry assumptions.

New mosaic-8b pan-sarbecovirus vaccine shows broad protection against current and future coronavirus strains

LinkedInEmailShare According to an R&D World analysis of major technology companies, the largest tech companies continue to maintain a commanding lead in patent generation, with the profiled companies producing more than 35,000 patents in 2023. This lead widened in 2024, with the 14 tech firms generating patents at 2.8x the rate of the automotive companies profiles and 4.2x that of the aerospace firms. Samsung, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Apple collectively had more than 19,600 USPTO patents granted in 2023.

LinkedInEmailShare In 2023, Merck & Co. spent more than half of its revenue on R&D. Sure, the figure was inflated thanks to its $10.8 billion acquisition of Prometheus Biosciences, which it budgeted as an R&D cost. But Moderna spent even more as a percentage, $4,845,000,000 of its $6,848,000,000 in revenue on R&D while fellow mRNA company BioNTech spent (46.69% in 2023). Even excluding Merck and mRNA companies, pharma companies spend vast sums on R&D compared to their medtech brethren, which tend to have a stable R&D intensity around 9-10%. The percentage spent on R&D is very consistent across companies.

LinkedInEmailShare In 2023, Merck & Co. spent more than half of its revenue on R&D. Sure, the figure was inflated thanks to its $10.8 billion acquisition of Prometheus Biosciences, which it budgeted as an R&D cost. But Moderna spent even more as a percentage, $4,845,000,000 of its $6,848,000,000 in revenue on R&D while fellow mRNA company BioNTech spent (46.69% in 2023). Even excluding Merck and mRNA companies, pharma companies spend vast sums on R&D compared to their medtech brethren, which tend to have a stable R&D intensity around 9-10%. The percentage spent on R&D is very consistent across companies.

Analysis of 2024's top 50 AI patent leaders reveals financial sector's strength. IBM tops the list but Capital One rounds out the top 5.

U.S. and Asian markets dominate AI patents, while Germany rounds out the top five and leads the European market.

Drug Discovery and Development covers strategies and technologies related to pharmaceutical research and development and drug formulation.

LinkedInEmailShare The R&D World Index (RDWI) for the week ending November 1, 2024, closed at 3,855.65 for the 25 companies in the RDWI. The Index was down -2.70% (or -107.16 basis points). Eight RDWI members gained value last week from 0.16% (Alibaba) to 8.36% (AbbVie). Seventeen RDWI members lost value the previous from -0.43% (Cisco) to -8.27% (Eli Lilly & Co.).

| For millions living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the path to effective treatment is often a frustrating cycle of trial and error.