Ranked: Which Areas Receive the Most Pharma R&D?
The pharmaceutical industry has made enormous strides in treating—and even curing—a wide range of diseases and conditions. A key driver behind this progress? Billions in funding fueling research and development (R&D) at the cutting edge.
This visualization, created in partnership with Inigo Insurance, highlights which therapeutic areas currently have the largest number of drugs in development, using data from Citeline.
The Rapid Expansion of Drug Development
The global R&D pipeline has surged over the past two decades. In 2001, just 5,995 drugs were in the pipeline. Today, that number has soared to 23,875.
Leading the pack is Pfizer, with 271 drugs in development, followed by Roche (261), Novartis (254), AstraZeneca (241), and Sanofi (233). Pharma giant Eli Lilly ranks seventh with 224 drugs.
Of the nearly 24,000 drugs in the pipeline, about half (12,704) remain in the preclinical stage, while 1,568 are projected to launch in 2025.
Where Is the Most R&D Happening?
The biggest focus area is oncology, which accounts for 9,476 drugs—roughly 40% of the total pipeline. Neurological drugs follow at 3,868, while metabolic drugs, boosted by the weight-loss drug boom, total 3,314.
| Therapeutic Area | Number of drugs |
|---|---|
| Oncology | 9476 |
| Neurology | 3868 |
| Metabolic | 3314 |
| Infectious Disease | 2879 |
| Musculoskeletal | 2157 |
| Immunology | 1469 |
| Dermatology | 1327 |
| Sensory | 1312 |
| Cardiology | 1207 |
| Respiratory | 1172 |
| Genitourinary | 885 |
| Hematology | 811 |
| Hormonal | 273 |
| Parasitology | 109 |
| Rare diseases | 7721 |
Surprisingly, despite being the leading cause of death in the U.S., cardiovascular drugs rank ninth, with just 1,207 drugs in development.
Meanwhile, rare diseases represent another major focus, with 7,721 drugs in progress. Companies like Novartis and Bristol Myers Squibb are leading this charge, dedicating more than half of their pipelines to rare disease treatments—132 drugs (52%) and 115 drugs (50.2%), respectively.
The Future of Pharma Breakthroughs
Pharma R&D doesn’t always align with the biggest health burdens. Instead, it follows the intersection of scientific breakthroughs, patient demand, and market opportunity—a dynamic that will continue to shape the next wave of innovation.
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