Drug hunt

摘要

If industries were gardens, the biopharmaceutical sector would be uneven and rocky, with only the most persistent plants thriving in an often unpredictable environment. Last year was particularly rough: market withdrawals of blockbuster drugs, the looming end of patent protection on key products, and constant reminders of nearly empty pipelines. Some companies have announced significant layoffs over the next few years; others look set to outsource some services to lower-cost locations. But in terms of employment, which stages of the drug pipeline stay steady? For the time being, chemical and biological scientists eager to get their hands wet in drug discovery can rest easy.