• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Financebioinnovation

The trillion-dollar medicine cabinet

By
Scott DeCarlo
Scott DeCarlo
and
Jen Wieczner
Jen Wieczner
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Scott DeCarlo
Scott DeCarlo
and
Jen Wieczner
Jen Wieczner
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 29, 2015, 9:00 AM ET
Inside of a Gilead Sciences Lab
Darryl Kato, research scientist for Gilead Sciences Inc., works on the synthesis of a potential hepatitis C virus drug candidate at the company's lab in Foster City, California, U.S., on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. Gilead acquired Pharmasset Inc. last month for its experimental hepatitis C treatments as it aims to compete with other drugmakers like Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Merck & Co. to develop a new class of oral cures for hepatitis C to replace older drugs that require injections. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by David Paul Morris — Bloomberg via Getty Images

Talk about a drug industry blockbuster. Over the past decade the market value of Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies has nearly doubled, to $1.5 trillion, thanks largely to the explosive growth of biotechnology firms. In 2004 there was just one true biotech name—Amgen—on the list. Today there are seven, with a combined market cap that is fast approaching that of the old-guard Big Pharma companies.

Data source by FactSet. Chart by Nicolas Rapp and Analee Kasudia.

This story is from the May 1, 2015 issue of Fortune magazine.

About the Authors
Scott DeCarlo
By Scott DeCarloVP of Research
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Scott DeCarlo is the VP of research at Fortune, where he oversees the publication’s signature lists, including the Fortune 500, Global 500, World’s Most Admired Companies, and Fastest-Growing Companies.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Jen Wieczner
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

A person holding a blue piggy bank
Personal FinanceSavings
Best savings account bonuses for April 2026
By Joseph HostetlerApril 13, 2026
60 minutes ago
trump
CommentaryWhite House
The futility of Trump’s grandiose personal branding of public assets, from ballrooms and bills to ships and planes
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianApril 13, 2026
2 hours ago
The most valuable worker in the AI economy is Nurse Dana from ‘The Pitt’
EconomyJobs
The most valuable worker in the AI economy is Nurse Dana from ‘The Pitt’
By Nick LichtenbergApril 13, 2026
3 hours ago
Sean Duffy speaks behind a podium. An American flag hangs behind him.
PoliticsAviation
The FAA is recruiting gamers to fix America’s air traffic controller crisis—and offering $155,000 to do it
By Sasha RogelbergApril 13, 2026
3 hours ago
U.S. President Donald Trump attends UFC 327 at Kaseya Center on April 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida.
EnergyIran
Trump threatens to blow up Iran’s last ships ‘using the same system of kill’ for drug boats as his ‘Hail Mary’ blockade begins
By Eva RoytburgApril 13, 2026
3 hours ago
U.S. naval blockade on Iran will trigger a currency devaluation spiral and hyperinflation, potentially ending the war more quickly, analyst says
EconomyIran
U.S. naval blockade on Iran will trigger a currency devaluation spiral and hyperinflation, potentially ending the war more quickly, analyst says
By Jason MaApril 13, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

'This is the last warning.' Iran threatens U.S. warships after they throw down the gauntlet for winner-take-all Strait of Hormuz
Politics
'This is the last warning.' Iran threatens U.S. warships after they throw down the gauntlet for winner-take-all Strait of Hormuz
By Fortune EditorsApril 11, 2026
2 days ago
'People are trying to be creative': Tariff-battered American companies are so cash-starved they are using refund claims as collateral for loans
Economy
'People are trying to be creative': Tariff-battered American companies are so cash-starved they are using refund claims as collateral for loans
By Fortune EditorsApril 12, 2026
1 day ago
A 93-year-old refused to sell her home to the Masters golf course that’s spent $280 million on expansion: ‘Money ain’t everything’
Real Estate
A 93-year-old refused to sell her home to the Masters golf course that’s spent $280 million on expansion: ‘Money ain’t everything’
By Fortune EditorsApril 12, 2026
1 day ago
Here's how a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could work. 'This is a big task, and it's a big gamble'
Politics
Here's how a U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could work. 'This is a big task, and it's a big gamble'
By Fortune EditorsApril 12, 2026
1 day ago
The 'affordability economy' has created a housing market nobody predicted: Prices collapsing in the Sunbelt, soaring in the Rust Belt
Real Estate
The 'affordability economy' has created a housing market nobody predicted: Prices collapsing in the Sunbelt, soaring in the Rust Belt
By Fortune EditorsApril 11, 2026
2 days ago
‘Almost unmanageable’: Raising a child in the U.S. now costs more than $300,000
Economy
‘Almost unmanageable’: Raising a child in the U.S. now costs more than $300,000
By Fortune EditorsApril 12, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.