The top players
in pharma know how to adapt. After M&A, selloffs, cost cuts
and therapeutic rejigs, the companies on this list may largely wear the
same names, but none entered it looking exactly as they did for last year's
edition.
Whether because
of buyouts or reorgs or both, companies atop the rankings this year generally
have a strong presence in cancer, but immunology and rare diseases
are also strongholds. Takeda gained its place on the list thanks to a Shire
buyout that added rare diseases to its broader lineup.
Vaccines are
important, too: Companies with leading vaccine outfits all made the
top 10. Cell and gene therapies continue making advances across the
industry, including at Novartis and Roche.