Global pharma R&D returns rise as GLP-1 drugs help drive forecast growth
• The top 20 global pharma companies, as a cohort, saw their combined R&D returns rise to 5.9% in 2024, up from 4.3% in 2023;
• GLP-1 drugs - which treat obesity and diabetes – are fuelling the surge, accounting for 2% of pharma’s forecast returns;
• Average cost to develop a drug has risen to $2.2 billion in 2024, up from $2.1 billion in 2023;
• 29 new ‘blockbuster assets’ (drugs with annual sales of at least $1 billion) have entered the drug development pipeline in 2024, up from 19 in 2023.