Wondering which are the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world? The collective biotech and pharmaceutical industry is known to be one of the most active and wealthy industries in the world, considering the global pharmaceutical market is worth about $1 trillion. Furthermore, within modern societies, the increased usage of medicines and medications for treating almost every illness (or perceived illness) is likely to keep raising demand for these products, and thus continue bursting pharmaceutical companies’ sales and revenue.
Top pharmaceutical companies, like Novartis or Johnson & Johnson have developed some of the most popular health products and medicines in the world. Among The 10 Best Selling Pharmaceutical Drugs in History, drugs such as Risperdal, Seretid, Seroquel or Zyprexa have been developed by some of these major pharmaceutical companies.
Taking a look at the companies’ 2014 reports, we’ve compiled a ranking of the ten largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, based on their total revenue. So are you curious about how much a pharmaceutical company can make within a year? Take a look at our list and find out!
No. 10 Abbott Laboratories, USA (NYSE:ABT)
Revenue: $21.8 billion
This company, founded in 1888 and headquartered in Abbott Park, Illinois, is engaged in the development and manufacture of various health care products. Abbott Laboratories operates in five business segments, and has 69,000 employees at present.
Impressive revenue, no? The nine largest pharmaceutical companies in the world are still to come, ready to impress you even further with obscene revenue. Check them out.
No. 9 Eli Lilly, USA (NYSE:LLY)
Revenue: $23.1 billion
Eli Lilly & Co., with a market cap of $77.43 billion, develops and sells pharmaceutical products for humans and animals. The company was founded in 1876 and is headquartered in Indianapolis. Eli Lilly & Co., currently has about 38,000 employees in 125 countries.
No. 8 AstraZeneca, UK (NYSE:AZN)
Revenue: $27.2 billion
This global biopharmaceutical company was founded in 1999, in the United Kingdom, and is headquartered in London. AstraZeneca manufactures and commercializes prescription medicines for numerous healthcare segments, such as cardiovascular, neuroscience and oncology. Some of its most well-known products are Symbicort and Zoladex. With more than 51,000 employees in over 100 countries, AstraZeneca is currently one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
No. 7 GlaxoSmithKline, UK (NYSE:GSK)
Revenue: $43.9 billion
Another UK-based pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline was founded in December 1999 and is headquartered in Brentford. With a market cap of $128.8 billion, the company manufactures, develops and distributes healthcare products such as vaccines and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. Its main medicines are designed for treating rare diseases, immuno-inflammation, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). With more than 99,000 employees in 115 countries, GlaxoSmithKline has recorded revenues of $43.9 billion, over the course of 2014.
No. 6 Merck, US (NYSE:MRK)
Revenue: $44 billion
This global healthcare company that provides various pharmaceutical products presented amazing revenues of $44 billion over the course of this year. Merck & Co.’s market value is $165.8 billion, and they currently employ approximately 76,000 workers. Merck & Co. was founded in 1851, in New Jersey. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceutical, Animal Health, Consumer Care, and Alliances segments. Recently, Merck acquired Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:IDIX).
No. 5 Sanofi, France (NYSE:SNY)
Revenue: $45.8 billion
Sanofi, formerly Sanofi-Aventis, is a French multinational pharmaceutical company, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Paris. Sanofi focuses on patients’ needs, and its main therapeutic solutions are diabetes, human vaccines, innovative drugs, rare diseases and consumer healthcare. With a market cap of $137.14 billion, Sanofi currently employs about 112,000 people worldwide.
No. 4 Pfizer, USA (NYSE:PFE)
Revenue: $51.6 billion
This biopharmaceutical company was founded in 1849 in the United States, and is headquartered in New York. Operating through five segments, which are Primary Care, Specialty Care and Oncology, Established Products and Emerging Markets, Animal Health, and Consumer Healthcare, Pfizer currently has a market value of $203.93 billion.
No. 3 Roche, Switzerland (VTX:ROG)
Revenue: $52.4 billion
This Swiss company is headquartered in Basel, and was founded by Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche in 1896. With about 85,000 employees across 150 countries, Roche has a $253.74 billion market cap. The company operates through two divisions: Pharmaceuticals and Diagnostics, and develops and sells different healthcare products and services.
No. 2 Novartis, Switzerland (NYSE:NVS)
Revenue: $60.9 billion
Novartis is another Swiss global pharmaceutical company, engaged in the development, research and manufacture of different healthcare products, such as cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventative vaccines and diagnostic tools. Novartis’ market value is currently $227.44 billion, and it has one of the broadest patent-protected medicine portfolios of any pharmaceutical company. The company was founded in 1996, and employs more than 135,000 employees worldwide.
No. 1 Johnson & Johnson, USA (NYSE:JNJ)
Revenue: $71.3 billion
Johnson & Johnson is currently the largest pharmaceutical company around, in terms of annual revenue. The company was founded in 1887, and today operates in more than 60 countries. Engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of different healthcare products, Johnson & Johnson has a market cap of $291.08 billion. It works through three business segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices and Diagnostics, and also provides therapeutics for viral infections with the compound AL-8176.
