The processes of discovery, testing and distribution of new medicines have undergone radical change in recent decades, from a focus on small molecule drugs to biomedicine and related technologies. Bruce Rasmussen very effectively draws upon modern theories of the firm, data analysis, and case studies to provide important insights into the consequences of this change. He offers convincing evidence that contradicts the widely-held view that the biopharmaceutical sector has not generated considerable economic value. Frank R. Lichtenberg, Columbia University, US Bio- and pharmaceutical industry discovery is a distressed asset today. Why? Bruce Rasmussen s book is a timely and very informative work, building on rich data sources and extensive economic research, on a subject of concern to us all. Is medicine discovery in permanent decline? Are the biotechnology and traditional pharma groups on a collision course, will the traditional group absorb the new, will integration take place, will a new discovery model emerge? I commend Bruce s book to all who wish to understand what is happening. David W. Anstice, Merck & Co., Inc. This path-breaking book addresses the ongoing implications for traditional pharmaceutical companies and biopharmaceutical start-ups of the realignment of the industry knowledge-base. The theoretical approach draws on the modern theory of the firm and related ideas in order to better define the concept of the business model, which is employed to guide the case studies and empirical analysis in the book. The author shows that while traditional pharmaceutical companies have successfully adjusted their business models to meet the challenges of biotechnology, biopharmaceutical start-ups have experienced more problems. Despite the poor financial performance of the vast majority of these firms, the biopharmaceutical sector as a whole has created significant value. However, this has been captured disproportionately by a handful of large, fully-integrated biopharmaceutical firms and, to a lesser extent, by the largest dozen pharmaceutical companies. This highly focused book will be a captivating read for innovation and biopharmaceutical industry analysts, as well as advisers formulating policies to support the development of the biopharmaceutical sector. Academics working on innovation and biotechnology, as well as scientists engaged in research in the life sciences, will also find this book of particular interest.

Innovation is at the heart of all advances and has the capacity to solve problems facing humanity. Societies which have turned away from innovation and technological development have failed in their ability to support their populations. Understanding the nature of innovation in the life sciences and in particular healthcare, how it operates, what enables and hinders it is therefore of great importance to meeting the challenges ahead. This book, originally and concurrently published in the International Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2007, offers the latest research and insights concerning innovation in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Most people marvel at the level of innovation demonstrated by the biopharmaceutical industry in bringing new products to the market – especially in the past 20 years. However, there is a crisis looming in the industry that should be a concern to all of us who take for granted the constant pace at which new treatments, and increasingly cures, have emerged from the laboratories of current sector incumbents. In the book, we examine the evolution of the biopharmaceutical industry to understand how it became what we term a "unicorn industry" with a unique, US-centered business model that has led to multiple blockbuster products (aka, unicorns) year after year. We explore how past success has created perceived barriers to innovation diversification beyond the chemical or biological-based biopharmaceutical product, and highlight the warning signs of the industry’s decline. We define a potential pathway for transforming the industry’s business model by broadening the definition, sources, and enablers of innovation beyond the traditional biopharmaceutical product. We introduce and advocate for the 80-80 Rule - "Being 80% confident that you will only be 80% right the first time should feel normal." The 80-80 Rule is a theme that emphasizes speed and willingness to embrace uncertainty and overcome internal barriers to change. It sets the standard for redefining innovation as a platform to reignite growth of the biopharmaceutical industry.

The pharmaceutical industry is one of today’s most dynamic and complex industries, involving commercialization of cutting-edge scientific research, a huge web of stakeholders (from investors to doctors), multi-stage supply chains, fierce competition in the race to market, and a challenging regulatory environment. The stakes are high, with each new product raising the prospect of spectacular success—or failure. Worldwide revenues are approaching $1 trillion; in the U.S. alone, marketing for pharmaceutical products is, itself, a multi-billion dollar industry. In this volume, the editors showcase contributions from experts around the world to capture the state of the art in research, analysis, and practice, and covering the full spectrum of topics relating to innovation and marketing, including R&D, promotion, pricing, branding, competitive strategy, and portfolio management. Chapters include such features as: · An extensive literature review, including coverage of research from fields other than marketing · an overview of how practitioners have addressed the topic · introduction of relevant analytical tools, such as statistics and ethnographic studies · suggestions for further research by scholars and students The result is a comprehensive, state-of-the-art resource that will be of interest to researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, alike.

Pharmaceutical giants have been doubling their investments in drug development, only to see new drug approvals to remain constant for the past decade. This book investigates and highlights a set of proactive strategies. The authors focus on three sources of pharmaceutical innovation: new management methods, new technologies, and new forms of internationalization. Their findings are illustrated in the case of the Swiss pharmaceutical industry, the leading exporter of pharmaceutical products in percentage of GDP, and some of its main pharmaceutical firms such as Novartis and Hoffmann-La Roche.

This publication examines the innovation system in pharmaceutical biotechnology in eight OECD countries - Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain - and makes recommendations advocating an integrated policy approach.