Roche said it will be introducing a new operating model for its global research and development activities, organized around disease biology areas (DBA).
Each DBA will cover activities through an integrated approach throughout the whole process of a drug's development, from the research stage to strategic marketing, in a specific therapeutic field. Roche said the DBAs would cover the areas of oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and the central nervous system.
The decision comes as many other pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, have restructured their activities in order to boost innovation and intensify drug development to counteract the loss of drugs through expiration of patents.
“New structures and flatter hierarchies will enable us to be more aligned and focused, take decisions faster, implement ideas more rapidly, and bring more new products through the pipeline,” commented William Burns, Pharmaceuticals Division CEO.
Roche said it intends to increase its research and development investment this year. Its R&D budget is currently running at approximately $4.8 billion.
“We have significantly increased our investments in R&D over past years and will continue to do so. By combining existing expertise in Disease Biology Areas, we will further enhance the optimal conditions for bringing future innovations to fruition faster and more efficiently – with clear benefits for patients and doctors,” said Roche chairman and CEO, Franz Humer.