Pharmaceuticals R&D

The Research and Development organisation in Pharma – which is committed to shaping the future of medicine by creating clinically-differentiated therapies – is built around five Disease Biology Areas (DBAs):

• Oncology
• Virology
• Inflammation
• Metabolism
• Central Nervous System

The DBAs are responsible for selecting and managing compounds from drug discovery through to medical proof-of-concept (normally in phase II of clinical development).

A dedicated interface with the Diagnostics Division ensures diagnostics input throughout the drug development process.

In the first six months of 2008 the Pharmaceuticals Division gained eight major regulatory approvals and filed three major marketing applications. At the end of June the division’s R&D pipeline included 65 new molecular entities (NMEs) and 54 additional indications. Forty-one NMEs are currently in phase I, 18 in phase II and four in phase III development; two have been filed for regulatory review. In the first half-year eight projects entered phase I, two entered phase II and four entered phase III; one phase II project and three additional-indication projects in phase III were discontinued.

Today, biopharmaceuticals account for over half of Group sales, and Roche is the global market leader in molecular diagnostics. Biotechnology has opened up completely new approaches to diagnosing and treating disease, particularly cancer. Our development portfolio currently includes 15 therapeutic proteins, which are being developed for about 50 indications, and we are investing heavily in new manufacturing facilities to meet the growing demand for our biotherapeutics and biodiagnostics.