Bayer, Roche, Pfizer, Merck, Eli Lilly, Novartis

– Bayer was founded in 1863, making 2013 its 150th birthday. The milestone prompted pharmaphorum to delve into the history of this pharmaceutical company in A History of… Bayer , looking at where the company began and then focusing on Bayer HealthCare, the pharmaceuticals subgroup of Bayer AG

– New technology platforms are aiding pharma companies in developing more targeted and systematic approaches to drug repurposing. Potential New Uses for a Plethora of Compounds from Roche explains that over the last two decades, Roche scientists created numerous interesting compounds that never made it to the patient. Instead of giving up on them, with the help of the Broad Institute, Roche has decided to take a fresh look at these assets

– Several major pharmaceutical companies have been ramping their capabilities to tackle the red-hot market for drugs that treat orphan diseases affecting small numbers of patients. 3 Ways Big Pharma Is Seizing This Rare Opportunity, from The Motley Fool, is an overview of recent orphan drug developments from Eli Lilly, Merck, Pfizer, and AbbVie

– Novartis CEO Joseph Jimenez has consistently argued that the industry needs to make big changes in order to secure long term survival. Business Insider highlights excerpts from a recent interview outlining a long term vision for both his company and the industry at large in Novartis CEO: Here Are 3 Things Big Pharma Must Do To Survive

– New drugs grow slowly, the view that they skyrocket to blockbuster status soon after launch is not supported by data. It typically takes 5 years or longer to achieve such success, and many never do. With Novartis leading the pack at a “Freshness Index” of 19%, How Fresh is Big Pharma’s Freshness Index?  from Forbes offers an analysis that supports the view… the way to innovate in pharmaceuticals is to focus on breakthroughs not blockbusters