Research & Development
From molecules to medicines
Our scientists are working hard to discover new ways of treating and preventing diseases. Our success depends on a vibrant and productive R&D function that encourages creativity and facilitates the accelerated discovery and development of new medicines.
R&D organisation
A refocus on the best science led us to create an entrepreneurial environment in discovery, building on the success of our Centres of Excellence for Drug Discovery (CEDDs).
Development pipeline
We have built one of the strongest development pipelines of potential new medicines in the industry.
External collaborations
We also build collaborations and links with other research groups, biotechnology companies and academic institutions to help develop transformative scientific concepts.
Patent Pool
We have created a pool of intellectual property to fight neglected tropical diseases.
Find out more about the patent pool
150 projects in human clinical trials
across the globe
30 assets in our late-stage development
pipeline at the end of February 2009
Clinical Trials
Like all innovative pharmaceutical companies, we carry out a series of clinical trials to test each investigational drug for the potential to become a new medicine
The effect of the potential drug will often be compared to that of an inactive substance, a placebo, which is prepared to look like the drug so as to prevent bias during the trial. The investigational drug may also be compared against marketed medicines.
Diseases of the developing world
We have been involved in research into diseases of the developing world for many years.
Our objective is to discover, develop and make available new drugs and vaccines for treatment or prevention of diseases of the developing world, primarily the World Health Organization's (WHO) priority diseases: malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
Our product pipeline
We have built one of the strongest development pipelines of potential new medicines in the industry.
Find out more about our pipeline