GlaxoSmithKline placed 8th in the cross-specialist ranking “Best Pharmaceutical Companies Germany” 2022 in the category “research-based, world-leading pharmaceutical companies by turnover”. The top ranks among the TOP10 international pharmaceutical companies went to Janssen-Cilag, Novartis, Bayer Vital/Jenapharm, followed by Sanofi and Pfizer. One of the latest innovations at GlaxoSmithKline was the herpes zoster vaccine Shingrix®, awarded “The Most Innovative Product” by GPs in 2020.
GlaxoSmithKline: Medicines, vaccines – and more
With the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham in 2000, “GSK”, headquartered in London, rose to become one of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in terms of turnover. For 2021, GlaxoSmithKline plc is quoting £34.1 billion (British pounds) in sales, with pre-tax profits of £5.1 billion. GSK employs about 90,000 people in 95 countries, a third of them in emerging markets. Research and development employs 15,000 people, at a cost of GBP 5.3 billion, or 15% of sales. Research efforts are also directed at diseases that are predominantly prevalent in underdeveloped countries. GSK claims to pursue humanitarian goals in addition to its primary corporate purpose of making a profit.
In Germany, GSK employs over 3,400 people at five locations. The Pharma and Consumer Healthcare divisions are based in Munich, as is the company ViiV Healthcare, which is majority-owned by GSK with 13 HIV medicines. GSK also owns the Stiefel Dermatology company. The research and development facility Cellzome is located in Heidelberg. Dresden and Marburg are centres for vaccine development and production (influenza, hepatitis, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and meningococci).
GSK is divided into the business areas Pharmaceuticals, Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. Rare diseases are the focus of GSK’s Rare Diseases Unit.
GSK Pharma is a leader in respiratory diseases (e.g. Avamys®, Relvar®, Sultanol®, Viani®) and infectious diseases (antibiotics, antivirals, antimalarials, HIV). Research also focuses on oncology and inflammatory immune diseases. In 2021, 60 new substances were in clinical development, about one in three in phase 3 testing.
GSK Vaccines/Biologicals (GSK Bio), headquartered in Rixensart, Belgium, is one of the few remaining large vaccine manufacturers. The range includes around 30 paediatric, adult and travel vaccines. In spring 2018, Shingrix® was successfully launched as the first inactivated vaccine against shingles (herpes zoster). Currently, the pipeline includes around 19 vaccine candidates, including those against malaria, tuberculosis and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The recombinant protein-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine Vidprevtyn, developed with Sanofi Pasteur, has been submitted for conditional approval; the rolling review process with the EMA has been ongoing since July 2021. GSK is working with the German mRNA specialist CureVac on multivalent mRNA vaccines against Sars-CoV-2.
GSK Consumer Healthcare sells healthcare products for respiratory and skin, pain relief, oral health, hygiene and wellness (Odol, Sensodyne, Zovirax®, Otriven®, Voltaren®). A joint venture with Pfizer in OTC was entered into in August 2019.
GSK has an extensive corporate code of conduct. The company is active in numerous partnerships and on-site programmes in emerging markets. GSK has been ranked number one in the Access to Medicines Index for years.
Multiple awards for GlaxoSmithKline for innovation and sustainability
In Pharma Trend, GlaxoSmithKline has been one of the most innovative pharmaceutical companies in Germany for several years. The research-based company received the award “The most innovative product” from the general practitioners with Shingrix® 2020. The decisive factors for the general practitioners were the novelty on the market (63%) and the new, innovative mode of action (46%) as well as the extended spectrum of action and the improved effect (30%).
GlaxoSmithKline has been recognised for innovation and sustainability several times since the launch of the Pharma Trend benchmark study in 2000, first with the award “The Golden Tablet” in 2003. In the Rx category, GlaxoSmithKline received the award “The Most Innovative Product” in 2009 for Synflorix® and Toctino®, as well as in 2010 for Duodart® and in 2013 for Bexsero®. In 2018, Voltaren® followed in the OTC (patients) category and in 2020 Shingrix® in the Rx category.
Awards for innovation and sustainability since 2000:
- The Golden Tablet (2003)
- Synflorix® (2009)
- Toctino® (2012 – 2009)
- Duodart® (2010)
- Bexero® (2015 – 2013)
- Voltaren® (2018)
- Shingrix® (2020)
