Biopharmaceutical innovation capacities - benchmarking Europe and implications for CEE

This article gives an insight into the uptake of cutting edge technologies such as stem cell technologies, RNAi, and gene therapy by the European pharmaceutical industry. The European situation is benchmarked against the most important competitors - USA and Japan - both in terms of products in the pipeline and on the market. Economic and employment effects illustrate the impact of modern biotechnology for the European economy. Current and future trends and the competitiveness of the European drug developmental pipeline are outlined in terms of relevant indications (e.g., oncology and infectious diseases), the degree of adoption by European companies and the European biotechnological contribution. It shows how national strength in early developmental stages of drug development influences the power of a national market. In this context the role of SMEs and biotechnology start-ups is discussed. The analysis culminates in questioning which factors influence the uptake of technology and the direction of a technology trajectory and which measures are suitable to foster pharmaceutical innovation in general and in CEE in particular.