Stage 1) Scientific Breakthroughs:
Slowing of scientific breakthroughs in late 1900s & DNA/gene technology Big Pharma Controversy:
were not as influential on new medicine as expected
Only 10% of medicines in development actually reach patients – takes 15yrs
from concept to actual approved medicine
80% of GSK research spending = medicine development for
respiratory/HIV/infectious diseases, oncology & immuno-inflammation
58% of total GSK turnover in 2016 = £16.1bil in pharmaceutical sales
>90% of GSK’s pipeline vaccines are being developed in partnership with
others
Company has long history of collaborating with governments, NGOs,
vaccine producers, etc.
Stage 2) Patents:
GSK vaccines have been in production since first smallpox vaccine in 1882,
now with portfolio of 40 vaccines for 22 diseases
Vaccines targeting pneumococcal disease, meningitis, hepatitis, rotavirus,
whooping cough & influenza
1/3 of GSK’s vaccines target diseases prevalent in developing world (eg:
HIV, malaria, & TB – WHO priorities)
16% of turnover contributed by vaccines to GSK in 2016
2016: GSK promises to not seek patent protection on medicines in low-
income countries GSK Fact File:
Agreed to offer any cancer drugs developed to UN-backed Medicines
Patent Pool (MPP) = issues voluntary licenses to generic manufacturers in - British pharmaceutical company
LIDCs - 6th largest pharma company worldwide (2015)
Still seeks full IP protection on products in all ACs, EDCs & G20
See images below for their marketing and products:
Stage 3) Drug Manufacturing:
Vaccine manufacture takes 6-26 months + 100-500 quality checks
GSK’s global manufacturing & supply (GMS) teams responsible for this
GMS employs >27,000 people in 36 countries
4bil packs of medicine & almost 900mil vaccine doses produced annually
Stage 4) Global Flows of Distribution:
2 mil vaccines distributed each day in >160 countries Evidence of Corporate- Social Responsibility:
Increasing demand expected as world’s population grows & lifestyle
changes affect long-term health Increased robustness & strength of healthcare systems & facilities by
GSK provides products to ~90% of countries (Eg of exception = North Korea) encouraging health workers into more remote areas, providing preventative
Widening access in rural areas, Eg: building a distribution network covering education
16,000 villages in rural India & aims to cover 15% of India’s total rural Worked with Comic Relief to provide grants to support organisations fighting
population by end of 2014 malaria in sub-Saharan Africa & Asia
