Pharma 2020: Virtual R&D - Which path will you take?

Pharma 2020: Virtual R&D - Which path will you take?: Pharma 2020: Virtual R&D, the pharmaceutical industry is at a pivotal point in its evolution, particularly in relation to research and development. The patent on many of the medicines launched in the 1990s will expire over the next few years, leaving many companies very exposed; only four out of ten companies have enough products in their pipelines to fill the impending revenue gap.�Pharma 2020: Virtual R&D - Which path will you take?, the second paper in the PwC Pharma 2020 series, explores how pharma companies could dramatically improve the R&D productivity. It contends that by 2020 the R&D process may be shortened by two-thirds, success rates may dramatically increase, and clinical trial costs could be cut substantially. New computer based technologies will create a greater understanding of the biology of disease and the evolution of "Virtual man"; to enable researchers to predict the effects of new drug candidates before they enter human beings. Along with changes underway in the regulatory and socio-political environment, this will enable Pharma to overcome one of the most fundamental issues it needs to resolve over the next decade.