A Dip In New Active Substance Launches Annual Review 2025 Supplement

In 2024, the pharmaceutical landscape witnessed an 11% decline in new active substance (NAS) launches, totaling 81, including nine vaccines. Despite this decrease, the year recorded the fourth highest number of NAS launches in history. Sino Pharmaceutical emerged as the leader with four launches, while Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer followed closely with three each. Anticancer drugs dominated the 2024 NAS landscape, representing 37% of total launches, a significant increase from 26.3% the previous year. Geographically, the United States accounted for 44.4% of NAS launches, but China showed remarkable growth, capturing 34.6% and hinting at a possible future dominance in the NAS market. However, anticipated funding cuts for academic research by the new US administration may pose challenges for sustained growth in this sector. This analysis underscores the evolving dynamics of NAS launches, highlighting both opportunities and potential obstacles in the pharmaceutical industry.