15 Biggest Neuroscience Companies in the World

Published on January 30, 2023 at 9:38 am by Mohammed Saqib in Lists, News

In this article, we will discuss the 15 Biggest Neuroscience Companies in the World. You can skip our industry overview and go directly to the 5 Biggest Neuroscience Companies in the World.

As the name suggests, neuroscience concerns itself with the development, structure, and functions of the nervous system, intending to enhance neurological health. According to the World Health Organization, one out of every three persons will suffer from a neurological disorder at some point in their lives, making these disorders the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death, accounting for approximately 9 million deaths each year.

At the same time, WHO recognizes that in most countries, the “treatment gap” for these disorders is “unacceptably high.” This implies a massive opportunity for neuroscience companies. As per IMARC, the global neuroscience market was valued at $32.22 billion in 2021 and is expected to rise to $41.24 billion by 2027 at a CAGR of 3.80%.

Drug development in this sector has high costs and low success rates, and there have been several expensive late-stage clinical failures. All these reasons have led to Big Pharma retreating from this sector over the last decade. This leaves disruptive startups to push forward innovation within neuroscience. Some of these startups are involved in researching treatments for neural diseases and mental health problems. According to Business Insider, startups in this field raised $548.5 million in investments between January 2022 and September 2022. From Capsida Biotherapeutics, which uses gene therapy to treat illnesses of the central nervous system, to Neumora, which combines data science and neuroscience to develop precision medications for brain disorders, startups are coming up with innovative solutions to neurological problems.

However, we must keep in mind that the majority of these treatments are still in the research stage and have not yet been approved for commercial usage. Recently, Eisai and Biogen announced that their drug, Lecanemab, slowed cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer’s patients by 27% in a clinical trial. However, certain patients were also exposed to the drug’s adverse side effects. This discovery caused quite a stir in scientific circles because it could be a significant breakthrough in Alzheimer’s treatment if more studies and peer reviews establish its effectiveness and safety.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

On the other hand, some neuroscience companies have more futuristic ambitions. These startups promise to use technology to read your mind to treat illnesses and improve brain performance. Instead of creating drugs, the discipline of neuro-tech is concerned with the development of brain-machine interfaces, neuroprosthetics, neurostimulation, neuromonitoring, and other similar technologies.

Recently, Elon Musk’s neuro-tech startup, called Neuralink, has gained a lot of public attention. The startup is developing a chip that would be implanted in a person’s brain, where it would record the person’s neural activity and potentially stimulate it. Synchron also proposes to enable direct brain control of mobility-assistive devices for paralyzed patients using implantable devices.

Other startups are developing wearable devices to monitor and regulate brain activity. Thync, for example, has created a small, wearable “pod” that attaches to the back of the neck and combats stress while also promoting better sleep. Another company, BrainCo, is working on brain-machine interface wearable headbands for mind-controlled gaming.

Startups like Nuralogix are promoting a more convenient approach to neurotechnology. Instead of specialist electronic gadgets, it has developed a smartphone application that uses AI to determine the user’s health status. Its app, Anura, will collect a 30-second photo from your phone and produce a data archive covering various aspects of your health, such as heart rate and stress levels.

Our Methodology

Using stock screeners and manual research, we identified the biggest companies operating in the neuroscience space and ranked them in ascending order of their market cap. To accommodate major private companies, we took the average of five publicly traded neuroscience companies in our list to arrive at a revenue multiple of 6.5x, which we then used to estimate private companies’ market cap and valuation. It is pertinent to note that our list comprises of both pure-play neuroscience companies and large biotech and pharmaceutical companies that have neuroscience divisions or related products.

Biggest Neuroscience Companies in the World

15. DeepMind Technologies

Estimated Market Value: $9.19 billion

Annual Revenue 2021: £1.3 billion

Based in London, DeepMind Technologies is a leading artificial intelligence company combining aspects of systems neuroscience and machine learning to create powerful general-purpose learning algorithms. The company was founded in September 2010 and was acquired by Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) in 2015. DeepMind Technologies has made significant contributions to the field of computer gaming, developing the AI program AlphaStar, which was able to beat professional players in the game StarCraft II. Moreover, the company has been able to develop a number of AI-powered tools and systems that have been used in the healthcare sector to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.

14. Ipsen S.A. (EPA:IPN)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $9.49 billion

Headquartered in Paris, France, Ipsen S.A. (EPA:IPN) is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and markets medical drugs focused on targeted areas like neuroscience, oncology, and rare diseases. Ipsen S.A. (EPA:IPN) is among the top pharmaceutical companies specializing in the field of oncology. The company also develops neurotoxins for disorders such as cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, cerebral palsy, and hemifacial spasm. The company’s portfolio of products in the neurosciences area includes Dysport, a treatment for muscle spasticity, and Xermelo, a treatment for carcinoid syndrome.

13. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:NBIX)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $11.38 billion

With a market cap of $11.38 billion, Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:NBIX) is ranked 13^th on our list of the 15 biggest neuroscience companies in the world. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:NBIX) is a research-based American biopharmaceutical company that operates in the research and development of therapies for neuroinflammatory, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative illnesses and disorders. The company is working on treatments for conditions such as obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, insomnia, stroke, malignant brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, anxiety, and depression. The company’s portfolio of approved products includes Ingrezza, a treatment for tardive dyskinesia, and Orilissa, a treatment for endometriosis.

12. Astellas Pharma Inc. (TYO:4503)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $27.34 billion

Founded in 2005, Astellas Pharma Inc. (TYO:4503) is a Japanese multinational pharmaceutical company that engages in the research, development, production, and promotion of its products through its divisions in Europe, the United States., and Asia. The company’s operations are spread over multiple sectors, including oncology, urology, nephrology, immunology, neuroscience, and gene therapy. In the neuroscience segment, the company focuses on both central nervous system disorders and pain therapeutics. For central nervous system disorders, Astellas Pharma Inc. (TYO:4503) focuses on treatments for psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

11. Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $40.21 billion

Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) is an American multinational company that specializes in the research, development, production, and commercialization of therapies for patients globally. The company’s therapies are focused on oncological, neurological, and immunological disorders. The neurological disease areas Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB) focuses on are amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), depression, lupus, multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Alzheimer’s, and dementia.

10. Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (NYSE:TAK)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $49.53 billion

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (NYSE:TAK) is the biggest pharmaceutical company in Japan by revenue. The company is involved in the research and production of pharmaceutical products. The company’s primary therapeutic areas of interest are oncology, gastrointestinal disorders, and diseases of the central nervous system. The disease areas Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (NYSE:TAK) is working on are major depressive disorder (MDD), binge eating disorder (B.E.D.), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The company also works on neurological conditions, including sleep-wake disorders, Parkinson’s disease, and rare epilepsies.

9. Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $146.84 billion

Headquartered in California, United States, Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) is a multinational biopharmaceutical company and is the world’s largest pure-play medical biotechnology firm. Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) researches, develops, produces, and sells medications for severe diseases. The company focuses on developing innovative medications based on cellular and molecular biology with a particular emphasis on human treatments. In 2013, Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) acquired Onyx Pharmaceuticals to strengthen its portfolio of therapeutics oncology. In 2015, the company announced a collaboration with Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) to work on the areas of migraine and Alzheimer’s. In 2021, Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) announced a collaboration with Neumora Therapeutics to advance their research on medicines for brain diseases.

8. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $195.85 billion

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) is an American multinational healthcare and medical device company that researches, develops, manufactures, and commercializes a wide array of medical products and services. The product line of the company comprises nutritional, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and vascular products. The neuroscience products of the company focus on the treatment of diseases like epilepsy, headache, depression, sleep disorders, and migraine. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) also offers neuromodulation therapies for patients with chronic pain or movement disorders by delivering stimulations directly to the dorsal root ganglion, spinal cord, and brain.

7. Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $199.60 billion

Founded in 1996, Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) is a Swiss-American multinational pharmaceutical company that operates in the development and manufacturing of healthcare products. The company’s operations are divided into Sandoz International and innovative medicines. Its Innovative Medicine segment drives the majority of the company’s revenue through its global business franchises in oncology, immunology, neuroscience, ophthalmology, cardio-metabolic, respiratory, and established medicines. The neuroscience segment of the company is developing therapies for neurological disorders in three separate areas. In children, the research is focused on therapies for disorders such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Rhett Syndrome, autism, epileptic encephalopathies, and intellectual disabilities. In adult psychiatry, the focused disorders are bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, depression, and schizophrenia, and in neurodegeneration, the company is working on Parkinson’s disease, several rare monogenic diseases, frontotemporal dementia, and multiple sclerosis.

6. AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN)

Market Cap as of January 07, 2023: $219.45 billion

AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) is ranked 6^th on our list of the 15 biggest neuroscience companies in the world. Founded in 1999, AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) is a multinational biotechnology and pharmaceutical company that commercializes drugs in several core therapeutic areas, including diabetes, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, cancer, immunology, and rare diseases. AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN), along with its partners across academia and industry, is working on therapies to treat disorders with unmet medical needs in the areas of chronic pain, cognitive disorders, and other disorders of the central nervous system.

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