Key financial trends that shape biotech business growth

Abstract

Datamonitor analysis has identified two key company categories currently shaping the biotech industry: the leading biotherapeutics players and the emerging biotherapeutics players. Analysis of financial trends of companies in these categories from 2001–2003 has revealed that, despite strong revenue growth recorded by the leading biotherapeutics players, highly variable cost bases strongly affected net profits. Conversely, the emerging biotherapeutics players saw a decline in revenue growth, due to a reduction in collaboration or licensing revenue. Both leading and emerging biotherapeutics players strongly increased R&D spend over this period. Future growth of the leading and emerging biotherapeutics sectors will be driven primarily by M&A/licensing agreements, and in-house pipeline development driven by continued strong R&D spend.