Summary
Executives in the biopharma and life sciences industry face many critical strategic questions in 2015. Here, L.E.K. Consulting shares its views on the key challenges and opportunities for life sciences companies, as well as the solutions that senior executives are already turning to.
What is the Current State of the U.S. Life Sciences Industry?
We are expecting a strong year for the biopharma industry with continued innovation in the development pipeline. There will be a number of important launches expected in 2015, including several specialty therapies likely to drive substantial value for the healthcare system, leading to favorable pricing and access for innovators. This will build on important 2013-2014 launches including Sovaldi, Harvoni, Tecfidera, Imbruvica and Kadcyla, creating a new class of blockbuster drugs to replace some of those coming off patent. And while the emergence of biosimilars is on the horizon, the industry appears to be over the steepest part of the patent cliff as new sales are expected to far outpace expiries.
The deal-making environment continues to be active with many companies looking to achieve stronger leadership positions and/or rethinking strategic priorities:
- Small companies raised record capital in 2014, which will help drive innovation and cushion the companies against possible clinical setbacks
- Mid-size companies are focused on building disease-area leadership to push growth
- Many large companies are rationalizing their business to a smaller set of important assets where they can excel (e.g., specialized therapies, asset swaps, selling components of their businesses that don’t fit more focused goals). This is consistent with L.E.K.’s analysis and article “Too Big to Succeed,” published in In Vivo magazine in December 2012
Download the full Executive Insights' "State of the Industry" report to read more about the current state of the industry and how senior executives are addressing challenges and opportunities: Full Report.
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