GlobalData recently published their top 20 global pharma companies categorized by market capitalization in the first quarter of 2019. One company to break the top 20 was Takeda Pharmaceutical, which grew to $63.4 billion in the first quarter as the result of its acquisition of Dublin-based Shire. Together, the top 20 pharma companies reported an aggregated market cap of $2.63 trillion—yes, trillion!—in Q1 2019, an increase of 6.2% compared to $2.47 trillion on December 31, 2018. Perhaps not surprisingly, most of these companies overlap with the BioSpace Top Life Sciences Employers. Here’s a look.
#1. Johnson & Johnson. $372.2 billion. The company’s market cap grew 7.5% from the previous quarter. Today, the pharma giant was ordered to pay a Pennsylvania man an $8 billion settlement over claims he wasn’t warned that his antipsychotic drug, Risperdal, would cause him to develop breasts. The drug is prescribed to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, but is also used as a sleeping medication, which is what Nicholas Murray was prescribed it for as a minor.
#2. Roche. $239.6 billion. An increase of 12.7% from Q4 2018. On September 30, the company announced positive data from its Phase III IMvigor130 trial of Tecentriq (atezolizumab) plus platinum-based chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone for first-line treatment of untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) eligible and ineligible for cisplatin chemotherapy. It showed a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS).
#3. Pfizer. $235.8 billion. A decrease of 6.9% from the previous quarter. On September 27, the company’s executive chairman Ian C. Read announced his retirement on December 31, 2019. He will be succeeded by Albert Bourla, who replaced Read as chief executive officer on January 1, 2019.
#4. Novartis. $226.3 billion. An increase of 14%. On October 9, the company announced that a study of real-world evidence (RWE) confirmed the high efficacy and long-term response of Cosentyx (secukinumab) in a variety of immune disorders, including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
#5. Merck. $213.3 billion. An increase of 7.3%. On October 8, Merck partnered with UK-based 4D Pharma to develop three Live Biotherapeutics-based vaccines.
#6. Eli Lilly. $133.6 billion. An increase of 9.0% from the previous quarter. On October 7, Lilly announced data from its Phase III RELAY trial of Cyramza (ramucirumab) in previously untreated patients with metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The patients receiving the drug showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to erlotinib alone.
#7. Novo Nordisk. $132.1 billion. An increase of 17%. On September 20, the FDA approved the company’s Rybelsus (semaglutide) tablets 7 mg or 14 mg for adults with type 2 diabetes. It is the first and only glucagon-like peptide-1 analog in a pill.
#8. AbbVie. $119.1 billion. A drop of 14.7% from the previous quarter. In June 2019, AbbVie announced it was buying Dublin-based Allergan for $63 billion.
#9. Amgen. $116.8 billion. A decrease of 5.9% from the previous quarter. On September 27, Amgen announced new data from its ongoing Phase I trial of AMG 510 in patients with previously treated KRAS G12C-mutant solid tumors. “KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human tumors,” said David M. Reese, Amgen’s executive vice president of Research and Development. “Although KRASG12C has been a formidable target for nearly four decades, we can now report responses in patients with non-small cell lung, colorectal and appendiceal cancers.”
#10. Sanofi. $115.7 billion. An increase of 3.9% from the previous quarter. In mid-September, Sanofi teamed with Abbott to integrate glucose sensing and insulin delivery technologies to help people manage their diabetes.
#11. GlaxoSmithKline. $105.7 billion. An increase of 7.2% from the previous quarter. On October 8, GlaxoSmithKline entered a five-year collaboration pact with Lyell Immunopharma to develop new technologies to improve cell therapies for cancer. It will apply Lyell’s technology to strengthen GSK’s cell therapy pipeline, including GSK3377794, which targets the NY-ESO-1 antigen seen in a wide variety of cancers.
#12. AstraZeneca. $103.7 billion. Increased 4.5% from the fourth quarter of 2018. On October 4, the FDA approved the self-administration of the company’s Fasenra (benralizumab) in a pre-filled, single-use auto-injector called the Fasenra Pen for eosinophilic asthma. It was supported with data from the Phase III GRECO trial and the Phase I AMES trial.
#13. Gilead Sciences. $81.2 billion. Up by 0.3% from the previous quarter. On October 3, the FDA approved Gilead’s pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) indication for Descovy to prevent HIV.
#14. Bristol-Myers Squibb. $78.1 billion. Down 7.9% from the fourth quarter of 2019. In April 2019, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s shareholders voted to approve the acquisition of Celgene for approximately $74 billion. The merger deal has been drawing out, requiring the sale of some of its assets to meet Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirements for non-competition laws. This includes Celgene’s Otezla (apremilast) for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Bristol-Myers has a rival TYK2 psoriasis drug in Phase III trials called BMS-986165.
#15. CSL. $65.9 billion. Increased 5.4% from the previous quarter. On August 7, CSL announced plans to build new laboratories and offices for its global corporate headquarters in Melbourne, Australia.
#16. Takeda Pharmaceuticals. $53.4. This marks an increase of 141.8% from the previous quarter. On September 30, Takeda was recognized by Working Mother as one of the 2019 100 Best Companies, chosen for providing inclusive benefits for families including gender-neutral parental bonding leave, flexible work options, leadership development programs, and programs to support caregivers.
#17. Bayer. $63.4 billion. This is a drop of 4.9% from the previous quarter. On October 1, Bayer and Boston-based Arvinas finalized the terms of their joint venture, Oerth Bio, and named John Dombrosky as its chief executive officer. Oerth will focus on targeted protein degradation to improve crop yields.
#18. Celgene. $61.4 billion. Increased 37.1% from the fourth quarter 2018. On September 12, Celgene announced topline results from its Phase III QUAZAR AML-001 trial of CC-486 in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia who achieved first complete response (CR) or complete response with incomplete blood count recover (CRi) with induction chemotherapy. The drug showed a highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival compared to placebo.
#19. Merck KGaA. $52.2 billion. Increased 13% from Q4 2018. Not to be confused with U.S.-based Merck & Co., Darmstadt, Germany-based Merck KGaA announced on October 7 it had completed the merger of Versum Materials for 5.8 billion euros. This business combination will make Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading electronic materials company focused on semiconductors and display industries.
#20. Allergan. $48.7 billion. Increased 8.1% from Q4 2018 to Q1 2019. The biggest news since the June announcement that AbbVie was acquiring the company, is an October 7 statement that the company is launching three new over-the-counter REFRESH RELIEVA products for contact lens wearers.
