How Drug Development Works

Bringing a new drug to patients is a long and complex process. On average, it takes 10 to 15 years from discovery to approval, and only a small fraction of drugs make it through.

It starts with research, where scientists identify a biological target related to a disease and screen thousands of molecules to find potential drug candidates. This is followed by preclinical testing in the lab and in animals to assess safety. If promising, the drug enters clinical trials, which occur in three phases. Phase 1 tests safety in healthy volunteers. Phase 2 looks at effectiveness in a small group of patients. Phase 3 confirms results in a larger population. If the data are strong, the company submits for regulatory approval.

Many roles are involved along the way: biologists and chemists discover the drug, pharmacologists and toxicologists assess safety, clinicians run trials, regulatory experts manage submissions, and manufacturing teams figure out how to produce it at scale.

The future of life sciences is being shaped by growing global competition, the rise of generics and biosimilars, and an increasing focus on affordability and access. Countries like China and India are investing heavily in R&D and innovation, and the traditional dominance of US and European firms is being challenged. At the same time, the shift to personalized medicine and the development of treatments for rare diseases are creating new opportunities.

Technology plays a central role. High-throughput screening, genomics, and now AI are transforming discovery. Digital tools improve trial recruitment, data collection, and patient monitoring. Automation is streamlining manufacturing and quality control.

Despite its challenges, the industry remains one of the most impactful and collaborative fields, with science and technology constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible.