Global Pharmaceutical Industry Research Articles

Use of Marine Microorganisms in the Production of Bioactive Materials for the Pharmaceutical Industry

The global pharmaceutical industry is constantly looking for new resources that can be used to develop bioactive ingredients to produce more effective and innovative medicines. One resource that has attracted the attention of researchers is marine microorganisms (UGM, 2017; Wiganti, 2022). The ocean, which covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface, is an ecosystem rich in biodiversity, including microorganisms that are unique and rarely found in terrestrial environments. This research aims to explore and identify marine microorganisms that have potential in the production of bioactive materials for pharmaceutical applications. Based on the results of this study, only Extract I showed significant inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, while Extract II had almost no inhibition. Table 2 shows the results of the study indicating that the inhibition of seaweed extracts was absent. Gracillaria sp. seaweed extracts evaporated through a rotary vacuum evaporator and seaweed extracts evaporated through an oven had no inhibition. This study showed that bioactive compounds prepared through extraction using vacuum evaporator had greater inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus. This suggests that marine microorganisms can be a source of bioactive ingredients for the pharmaceutical industry.

Interconnected influence: Unraveling purdue pharmaceutical's role in the global response to the opioid crisis

BackgroundThe global pharmaceutical industry has a long history of prioritizing profits over public health through widespread practices such as price gouging, deceptive marketing, and fraud. A prominent example of this issue is the mislabeling and mass-marketing of OxyContin by Purdue Pharmaceuticals (Purdue) that catalyzed the opioid crises in and beyond the United States. MethodsGuided by Actor-Network Theory, this case study employs Visual Network Analysis to map the actors-networks involved in responding to the harms caused by Purdue. Data was generated from peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2007 and 2022 (n = 40) and imported into Gephi visualization software where centrality metrics were applied. ResultsA total of 39 actors and 99 relationships were visualized based on the relational thinking that actors who are heavily interconnected with others are rendered important. Centrality measures identified the socio-technical centrality of Purdue in influencing the response to the harms it caused. Purdue exerted influence through various avenues, most prominently through the creation and cooptation of pain advocacy groups, their close ties with United States elected officials, and through embedding pro-opioid messaging in international guidance documents. In doing so, Purdue was able to extend the reach and impact of their opioid promotion, while simultaneously limiting the capacity of regulatory bodies to pursue accountability and implement policies to mitigate opioid-related harms. ConclusionThis study advances understandings of the complex interplay between transnational pharmaceutical companies, global health systems, regulatory bodies, and public health. In doing so, we underscore the need for stronger regulation and increased transparency surrounding the interactions between pharma, patient groups, governments, and international organizations to better address and prevent future harms.

Strategic Resilience and Financial Analysis of Merck & Co., Inc.: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in the Pharmaceutical Industry

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK), a prominent player in the global pharmaceutical industry, known for its significant contributions to healthcare through the development of innovative drugs and vaccines. Merck's core focus areas include pharmaceuticals, vaccines, animal health, and healthcare services, with its flagship oncology drug Keytruda being a major revenue contributor. The company faces challenges such as regulatory changes in drug pricing and competition from biosimilars and generics. To mitigate these challenges, Merck has initiated restructuring plans, including the 2024 Restructuring Plan, to optimize operational efficiency and achieve significant cost savings. The paper also presents a comparison of Merck's financial performance with industry peers - Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie and Bristol-Myers Squibb - and evaluates liquidity, solvency and profitability metrics. Despite certain challenges, Merck's robust market positioning, strategic acquisitions, and active involvement in the development of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics underscore its potential for sustainable growth. Overall, the study concludes that Merck's strategic investments, coupled with its strong financial position and proactive restructuring efforts, make it an attractive investment prospect, particularly in its core therapeutic areas of oncology and immunology. This paper suggests that future research could delve deeper into the long-term impact of R&D investments, the intricacies of restructuring plans, and evolving market trends to provide a more nuanced understanding of Merck's strategic planning.

Climate Change and its impact on the Global Pharmaceutical Industry

Climate Change and its impact on the Global Pharmaceutical Industry

Impact of Inward Internationalization on Outward Internationalization in Enhancing Organizational Capabilities in Iranian Pharmaceutical Companies

Background: The objective of this study was to propose a model for examining the impact of inward internationalization on outward internationalization in Iranian pharmaceutical companies by focusing on organizational capabilities. Methods: Qualitative research was employed, and the grounded theory approach was utilized for data analysis. The study involved conducting interviews with 16 individuals who possessed experience in international activities within the pharmaceutical sector and expertise, using the snowball sampling method. The data gathered from the interviews underwent open, axial, and selective coding analyses, resulting in the development of a paradigm model of internationalization within the pharmaceutical industry. The paradigm model is composed of causal conditions, background conditions, intervening conditions, central phenomena, strategies, and consequences. Results: The research findings indicated that causal factors of internationalization encompass learning from other countries, updating medical and technical knowledge, expanding activities beyond domestic markets, facilitating production quality improvement, and promoting growth within the pharmaceutical industry. Strategies for internationalization include adopting an international perspective, implementing effective macro-level policies, utilizing long-term strategies, enhancing workforce professional capabilities through training, improving standards and documentation, devising strategies for rational budget utilization, planning for optimal capacity utilization, and strengthening international communication and political relationships. Conclusion: Ultimately, the consequences of inward internationalization and the enhancement of organizational capabilities lead to outward internationalization and a favorable position within the global pharmaceutical industry, improvements in organizational capabilities and international relations, development of cross-border business, economic prosperity within the pharmaceutical industry, and heightened commitment to foreign markets.

Drug development for major chronic health conditions—aligning with growing public health needs: Proceedings from a multistakeholder think tank

The global pharmaceutical industry portfolio is skewed towards cancer and rare diseases due to more predictable development pathways and financial incentives. In contrast, drug development for major chronic health conditions that are responsible for a large part of mortality and disability worldwide is stalled. To examine the processes of novel drug development for common chronic health conditions, a multistakeholder Think Tank meeting, including thought leaders from academia, clinical practice, non-profit healthcare organizations, the pharmaceutical industry, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), payors as well as investors, was convened in July 2022. Herein, we summarize the proceedings of this meeting, including an overview of the current state of drug development for chronic health conditions and key barriers that were identified. Six major action items were formulated to accelerate drug development for chronic diseases, with a focus on improving the efficiency of clinical trials and rapid implementation of evidence into clinical practice.

Research on the impact of technology mergers and acquisitions on corporate performance: an empirical analysis based on China's pharmaceutical industry.

There is intense competition among pharmaceutical companies with the rapid growth of the global pharmaceutical industry. In recent years, China has continuously increased the reform of the medical system. Technology mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in China's pharmaceutical industry have emerged in this complex policy and economic background. This paper conducts an empirical study from the dual perspectives of financial performance and innovation performance, based on unbalanced panel data of Chinese listed pharmaceutical firms from 2012 to 2022. The impact of technology M&A on firm performance is analyzed in terms of the heterogeneity of firm characteristics. Meanwhile, the relationship between R&D investment in technology M&A and firm performance is examined. The results show that technology M&A can promote the performance of pharmaceutical companies, and R&D investment has a mediating effect on the impact of technology M&A on corporate performance. Based on the above findings, this study enriches the relevant literature on technology M&A in the pharmaceutical industry, provides warnings and suggestions for pharmaceutical companies to improve corporate performance through technology M&A, and provides reference materials for future policy formulation.

AI-Enhanced Innovation Ambidexterity: The Role of IC, DC, and Innovation Orientation in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Dynamic challenges and opportunities mark the global pharmaceutical industry, necessitating firms to effectively balance innovation ambidexterity—simultaneously exploring new opportunities while exploiting existing resources. This study investigates the complex interplay of Intellectual Capital (IC), Dynamic Capabilities (DC), and innovation orientation (IO) in driving innovation ambidexterity in the Egyptian pharmaceutical industry. A quantitative methodology was utilised, collecting data via a questionnaire survey administered to experts working in the pharmaceutical industry. The study generated and evaluated hypotheses to investigate the links between IC, DC, innovation ambidexterity, and the moderating effect of IO. The findings reveal that IC significantly influences innovation ambidexterity, highlighting the critical role of knowledge resources. DC mediate the relationship between IC and innovation ambidexterity, emphasising the importance of a firm's capacity to sense and seize opportunities.
 Furthermore, IO moderates the relationship between IC and innovation ambidexterity, showcasing the contextual relevance of firms' innovation focus. This study contributes to our understanding of innovation ambidexterity in the pharmaceutical industry and underscores the importance of IC in fostering this capability. Firms are encouraged to invest in IC and cultivate DC to successfully navigate the evolving pharmaceutical landscape. The moderating effect of IO suggests the need for tailored strategies based on firms' specific contexts. The implications of this research extend to organisations striving to achieve innovation ambidexterity in dynamic industries.

HPR105 Profitability in the Global Pharmaceutical Industry: A Contested Space

HPR105 Profitability in the Global Pharmaceutical Industry: A Contested Space

Landscape of cancer clinical trials in India – a comprehensive analysis of the Clinical Trial Registry-India

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in India. Clinical trials are critical for driving innovation in cancer therapy, diagnosis, and prevention. This study aims to depict the evolving landscape of cancer clinical trials in India by analysing the clinical trials registered in Clinical Trial Registry-India (CTRI). We identified cancer trials registered in CTRI (between 2007 and 2021) using search terms adapted from the cancer types defined by the National Cancer Institute (USA). We then collated and analysed the publicly available information from CTRI (cancer subtypes, type of trial, treatment intent, type of intervention, sponsor type, recruitment countries) and used descriptive statistics to illustrate the overall as well as year-to-year trend. In total, we identified 1988 cancer trials, the majority of which focused on treating cancer (63%) and rest of the trials aimed at optimising the operational aspects of surgery (19%), mitigating treatment-related toxicity (10.6%), or treating cancer-related symptoms (7.8%). Focusing on trials with the intent of treating cancer, we found that most were investigating solid tumours as opposed to haematological malignancies with the most prominent cancer subtypes being breast cancer (17%), head and neck cancer (9.8%), lung cancer (9.6%), and cervical cancer (6.6%). The number of trials conducted in a given cancer subtype from our analysis overall correlated to the incidence, mortality, and 5-year prevalence of the respective cancer subtype in India; however, head and neck cancer and cervical cancer were underrepresented in trials as compared with the disease burden. The most common type of intervention was investigational drugs. The most common sponsor types were global pharmaceutical industry (26%) and research institution and hospital (26%). Despite a relatively high cancer burden, the availability of cancer trials in the Northeastern states of India was limited. There is a pressing need for clinical cancer research in India to be better aligned with the nation's healthcare needs and disease burden, focusing on prevalent and deadly cancers while ensuring the availability of clinical trials across geographic regions and underserved populations. Pi Health USA, a fully owned subsidiary of BeiGene Ltd.

Quantitative Analysis for Chinese and US-listed Pharmaceutical Companies by the LightGBM Algorithm.

This article aims to quantitatively analyze the growth trend of listed pharmaceutical companies in the US and China by a machine learning algorithm. In the last two decades, the global pharmaceutical industry has faced the dilemma of low research & development (R&D) success rate. The US is the world's largest pharmaceutical market, while China is the largest emerging market. To collect data from the database and apply machine learning to build the model. LightGBM algorithm was used to build the model and identify the factor important to the performance of pharmaceutical companies. The prediction accuracy for US companies was 80.3%, while it was 64.9% for Chinese companies. The feature importance shows that the net profit growth rate and debt liability ratio are significant in financial indicators. The results indicated that the US may continue to dominate the global pharmaceutical industry, while several Chinese pharmaceutical companies rose sharply after 2015 with the narrowing gap between the Chinese and US pharmaceutical industries. In summary, our research quantitatively analyzed the growth trend of listed pharmaceutical companies in the US and China by a machine learning algorithm, which provide a novel perspective for the global pharmaceutical industry. According to the R&D capability and profitability, 141 US-listed and 129 China-listed pharmaceutical companies were divided into four levels to evaluate the growth trend of pharmaceutical firms.

Strategic Flexibility and Employee Productivity of Quoted Pharmaceutical Companies in Nigeria

The global pharmaceutical industry is becoming increasingly prone to disruptions and economic fluctuations. In Nigeria, available records showed that pharmaceutical companies are plagued with poor employee productivity in the face of increasing competition and changes in the business environment. This study investigated the effect of strategic flexibility on employee productivity of quoted pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. 
 The survey research design was adopted for the study. The research population consisted of 642 management and senior staff employees of the six quoted pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. The study adopted total enumeration in soliciting responses from the sample population using an adapted and well-structured questionnaire. The data collected from respondents were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential (PLS-SEM) statistics. 
 Findings showed that strategic flexibility (coordination flexibility, futurity, reactive flexibility, resource flexibility) has a positive significant effect on employee productivity of quoted pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria. The study concluded that strategic flexibility does have a positive impact on employee productivity of quoted pharmaceutical firms in Nigeria and recommended that management of the pharmaceutical companies should pay more attention to resource flexibility, coordination flexibility, reactive flexibility and futurity in their bid to enhance employee productivity.

Phytochemical analysis of Nothapodytes tomentosa and distribution and content of camptothecin and its analogues in four plants.

Camptothecin (CPT) and its derivatives have attracted worldwide attention due to their notable anticancer activity. However, the growing demand for CPT in the global pharmaceutical industry has caused a severe shortage of CPT-producing plant resources. In this study, phytochemical analysis of Nothapodytes tomentosa resulted in the isolation and identification of CPT (13) and 16 analogues (1-12, 14-17), including a new (1) and five known (9, 10, 12, 15 and 17) CPT analogues with an open E-ring. In view of the potential anticancer activity of CPT analogues with an open E-ring, the fragmentation pathways and mass spectra profiles of these six CPT analogues (1, 9, 10, 12, 15 and 17) were investigated, providing a reference for the rapid detection of these compounds in other plants. Furthermore, based on the fragmentation patterns of CPT (13) and known analogues (2-8, 11, 14, 16, 18-26), the distribution and content of these compounds in different tissues of N. tomentosa, N. nimmoniana, Camptotheca acuminata, and Ophiorrhiza japonica were further studied. Our findings not only provide an alternative plant resource for further expanding the development and utilization of CPT and its analogues, but also lay a foundation for improving the utilization of known CPT-producing plant resources.

Research on the Development Trend and Prospect of the Pharmaceutical Industry under the Impact of COVID-19

The pharmaceutical industry has the function of ensuring people's livelihood and high technical barriers, provides drugs and medical devices, and accompany the people throughout the life process. The pharmaceutical industry, a high-tech sector, plays a significant role in reacting to public health emergencies and avoiding big unexpected diseases in addition to enhancing people's health levels. At the end of 2019, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 occurred, and its influence continued to expand. It brought new opportunities and challenges to the global pharmaceutical industry. Since the COVID-19, the expanding demand has driven the steady growth of the pharmaceutical industry, powerful nations have led the world pharmaceutical development, new vaccine has become the global highlight. As for pharmaceutical industry to further development, there are several suggestions in this paper: make more basic researches and develop new technologies, pharmaceutical industry alliance seeking win-win cooperation, enhance the independent innovation research and development strength promote industry core competitiveness, follow the national policy guidance to strengthen the pharmaceutical industry financial support.

PRIORITY AREAS OF INNOVATION IN CORPORATE STRATEGIES OF MULTINATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES IN GLOBAL COORDINATES

The purpose of the article is to substantiate global trends in the research and innovation activities of multinational pharmaceutical companies and to identify key directions of transformation in corporate innovation strategies in the context of increased international competition in the global pharmaceutical market. Methodology. The methodological basis of the work is the following methods of scientific research: dialectical, historical-logical, system-structural analysis of economic processes and phenomena, analysis and synthesis, the method of quantitative and qualitative comparisons. Results. One of the key global sustainable development goals of the United Nations for the period up to 2030 is to ensure the health and well-being of nations, which in global terms can be achieved primarily on the basis of the large-scale research activities of multinational pharmaceutical companies and the systematic commercialisation of the results of corporate research and development. In recent decades, under the influence of technoglobalisation processes, the innovatisation of pharmaceutical companies' activities has accelerated. It finds its concentrated expression in the steady increase of R&D costs, diversification of their structure, mass commercialisation of innovative developments and strengthening of their transdisciplinarity, accelerated capitalisation of R&D costs, etc. According to the world experience, the most effective innovative strategies of pharmaceutical companies today are such as mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, innovative outsourcing and insourcing, cointegration and pseudo-concentration, corporatisation of patent portfolios and research technologies, venture financing of R&D of pharmaceutical companies. At the same time, mergers and acquisitions are increasing the capitalisation of the global pharmaceutical industry, strengthening its expansion into global markets, redistributing its regional segments and diversifying the sources of funding for pharmaceutical companies' research activities. Value/оriginality. Current trends and features of corporate strategy formation in multinational pharmaceutical companies are identified. Strategic orientations of research activities of pharmaceutical companies in specialised areas of clinical research in the context of therapeutic categories are determined. The process of capitalisation of pharmaceutical companies is analysed and the tendency to activate the use of corporate mergers and acquisitions (M&A) strategy in the pharmaceutical business is revealed. It is proposed to create strategic alliances of multifunctional pharmaceutical companies with biotech companies using the M&A strategy. It is recommended that pharmaceutical companies strengthen their innovation orientation in the design of their strategies by combining patent portfolios and research technologies, as well as jointly implementing large-scale innovation programmes and projects.

Wormwood, nomads’ rights, and capitalism: the birth of a chemical industry in Russian Turkestan (1870s–1914)

AbstractA variety of wormwood, Artemisia cina, once grew abundantly in the Syr-Darya province of Russian Turkestan. Santonin, a drug derived from it, was in high demand. Flowers harvested by Kazakhs were handed over to intermediaries to be processed in Europe, but from the 1880s entrepreneurs from different parts of the Russian empire established their own chemical plants in Chimkent and Tashkent. They pressured the Russian imperial government to restrict the rights of the Kazakhs on land where Artemisia cina grew, and grant them the exclusive right to exploit this resource. These entrepreneurs used conservationist arguments and advocated a ‘cultured’ approach to the management of natural resources located on supposedly ‘State land’. These attempts collided with the usage rights of the Kazakhs, as defined by Turkestan’s governing Statute. By shifting the argument to the political, rather than legal, level, the industrialists eventually gained a monopoly to the exclusion of local entrepreneurs and even assumed State-like functions. This article reconstructs this controversy and allows a glimpse into the evolving claims to natural resources in the ‘periphery’ by both Tsarist colonial power and the Kazakhs themselves. The article also explores the features of autochthonous and Russian entrepreneurship and situates Turkestan in a web of trade connections to the global pharmaceutical industry.

Are acquirers different? Identifying firm precursors to acquisitions

PurposeThe authors propose and test a theoretical framework that develops and analyzes precursors to firm acquisitions to determine if acquirers differ from other firms.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use longitudinal, archival data from a sample of the largest firms in the global pharmaceutical industry from 1991 to 2012 with 1,327 firm-year observations.FindingsThe authors integrate prior research to show that the firm characteristics involving (1) R&D investment, (2) prior experience and (3) network centrality influence the likelihood that a firm will complete an acquisition.Originality/valueIn contrast to research focusing on the performance of acquiring firms, the authors show that firm characteristics predict acquisition activity by highlighting that acquiring firms differ from other firms. The authors also develop how network synergies can be realized by acquirers that have information advantages from more central network positions.

Brazilian national production of active pharmaceutical ingredients: regulatory and strategic framework.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is any component of the final pharmaceutical product that serves as the active ingredient. The goal of the API Manufacturing is to produce APIs that are competitively priced and meet the quality standards with the least possible impact on the environment. The global API market is expected to experience massive growth in the coming years reaching the size of USD 355.94 billion. The global Pharmaceutical Industry is facing a new scenario in 2023 after responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this new panorama, rethinking the pharmaceutical production and market is necessary. Despite Brazil's prominence in terms of worldwide pharmaceutical spending, only 5% of the APIs required by local pharmaceutical companies are produced domestically. Therefore, Brazil is an untapped field for APIs' manufacturing and faces a scenario of health vulnerability associated with the reliance on foreign API imports to ensure the viability of national Pharmaceutical Production and Services. Huge investments are required to boost the growth of the API Manufacturing sector. Herein is presented a critical analysis of the current regulatory and strategic status of Brazilian national production and/or acquisition of APIs, which represent the key starting materials for the Pharmaceutical Industry.

Comparative Profitability Analysis: Sun Pharmaceutical Company & Cipla Pharmaceutical Company

The Indian pharmaceutical industry is growing tremendously. Indian pharmaceutical industry plays a prominent role in the global pharmaceutical industry. It contributes to the welfare of people and provides significant socio-economic benefits to the society through creation of jobs, supply chains and community development. This study has been done for important evaluation of two Indian giant pharmaceutical industries i.e. Sun pharmaceutical Ltd. and Cipla pharmaceuticals. This study focuses on to analyze the profitability of the selected pharmaceutical companies of India and to do comparative study with the help of various measures of profitability. The study period is five years 2017-18 to 2021-22. From the research study we can analyze which company needs to pay more attention towards its performance.

‘We care… because care is growth’. The low-tech imaginaries of India's small-scale pharmaceutical enterprises

Since the early 2000s, the development of India's generic industry has generated a lot of hope and interest amongst researchers and practitioners of Global Health. This article documents the ambiguous dreams, aspirations, and hopes of the managers of micro, small, and medium companies involved in manufacturing, marketing, and distributing low-cost generic medicine. The analysis draws on semi-structured interviews with managers (n ​= ​66) and shows that they contrast sharply with the universalist, tech-intensive, and salvationary imaginaries often associated with the global pharmaceutical industry. On the one hand, India's small-scale entrepreneurs see themselves as instrumental to their family's financial welfare and the economic development of their local social groups. On the other hand, they like to imagine themselves as part of India's emergence on the international stage and better global access to affordable medicine. Such imaginaries form a low-tech approach to Global Health where generic pharmaceuticals are not taken as transformative technologies but are meant to play specific socioeconomic roles at different scales.