The Shifting Landscape of Pharma Investment: Acquiring Biotech Companies Over Research

Richard A Meyer
3 min readApr 11, 2024

Resource allocation has significantly transformed in the ever-evolving pharma industry landscape in recent years. Traditionally, pharma companies invested heavily in in-house research and development (R&D) to fuel innovation and bring new drugs to market. However, a noticeable shift has occurred, with a growing trend towards acquiring biotech companies rather than conducting extensive in-house research. This shift has sparked discussions and debates within the industry about its implications and potential consequences.

Historically, pharmaceutical companies maintained large internal R&D departments, conducting extensive research to discover and develop new drugs. However, this approach often involved substantial costs and long development timelines, with no guarantee of success. As the pharmaceutical landscape became increasingly competitive and regulatory hurdles grew more stringent, many companies began exploring alternative strategies to supplement their pipelines and accelerate innovation.

One such strategy has been the increased emphasis on acquiring biotech companies. Biotech firms are often characterized by their agility, innovation, and focus on niche therapeutic areas. By developing these companies, pharmaceutical giants gain access to a diverse portfolio of drug…

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Richard A Meyer
Richard A Meyer

Written by Richard A Meyer

Healthcare marketing thought leader and CPG marketing consultant with over 20 years of experience.