- Fewer projects with higher success rates show focus on quality paying off

LONDON, June 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Intellectual Property & Science division of Thomson Reuters released its annual synopsis of pharmaceutical industry trends today in its 2012 Pharmaceutical R&D Factbook, compiled by CMR International, a Thomson Reuters business. Key findings include the observation that the pharmaceutical industry's recent emphasis on quality over quantity is working, as evidenced by a lower number of early phase projects and fewer phase III projects being terminated, combined with an increase in regulatory approvals.

An essential publication of pharma facts containing eleven chapters of essential data on R&D pipeline volume, success rates, cycle times, regional comparisons, therapeutic areas, generics and others, the Factbook provides valuable strategic insight to pharmaceutical leaders for managing their businesses. This year's Factbook underscores the industry's focus on drug production quality, as is evidenced by:

• Global Pharmaceutical Sales Highest Ever: Global pharma sales reached an all-time high of approximately $880 billion in 2011; with pharmaceutical companies reinvesting anywhere from two percent to 25 percent of sales in prescription drug (or "ethical drug") R&D. Nevertheless, the rate of growth is declining as key drugs come off patent and the generic market grows
• Most New Molecular Entities (NMEs) Launched in Last Decade: The number of NMEs launched are at a ten-year high (increasing to 31).  Regulators and payers are looking for safer, more effective and differentiated drugs given the large influx of generics. The industry is seeing the first signs of the response by Pharma to increased R&D hurdles in the selection of drug candidates that are focused on diseases with high unmet medical need and, in many cases, targeted at stratified groups of patients (so called personalized medicine). This refocus is welcomed by the regulators and payers as reflected by the increased number of drug launches
• Cancer treatment benefitting from advances in personalized medicine: Anti-cancer development continues to attract the highest amount of investment across all therapeutic areas; with recent personalized medicine advances yielding two important oncology drug approvals in 2011 with companion diagnostics for targeted patient populations
• A marked turn in Phase III success: In the last three years we have seen a notable increase in phase 3 project success rates
• More targeted therapies: An increase in biologics in pharma R&D with higher clinical success rates and slower decline from peak sales, as well as an improvement in translating innovations in biological understanding from lab to patient

"The pharmaceutical industry touches all of our lives, whether directly or indirectly. Having insight into the drivers of the outcomes in Pharma R&D is critical in planning strategies and operational improvements," said Jon Brett-Harris, executive vice president, Thomson Reuters.  "This year's Factbook provides a unique view into the industry at a point when many pharma leaders are developing new strategies for growth. It unveils our thought-leaders' findings from extensive and proprietary data and is a valuable resource for clinical operations, project management, portfolio managers, licensing executives, venture capitalists, and pharmaceutical executives alike."

Information published in the Factbook was compiled by our Life Sciences Professional Services team; it is based on proprietary primary sources, competitive intelligence, and public sources covering key trends in the pharmaceutical industry.

About CMR International
CMR International, a Thomson Reuters business, is the world leader in global pharmaceutical R&D performance measurement. For over 15 years, CMR International has worked with the leading global pharmaceutical companies to assess R&D productivity and provide insights into industry trends in order to strengthen planning and effectiveness of R&D. Since 2003, CMR International has published the pharmaceutical R&D Factbook, an annual report for the pharmaceutical R&D sector providing a reliable source of key reference metrics.

About Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial and risk, legal, tax and accounting, intellectual property and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs approximately 60,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

SOURCE Thomson Reuters