Bristol-Myers research operations

Growing financial limitations and increased competition in the marketplace will mean that the future of research will be different from the past, according to Leon Rosenberg, president of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute (PRI), speaking at a recent international press briefing.

These economic constraints affect the company's ability to invest in research and development, he said, noting that between 1992 and 1994, B-MS cut the number of its R&D staff, reduced its research program by 50% and cut development by one third. The company also intends to put pharmacoeconomics and cost-benefit analysis into drug trials as soon as possible, and is committed to shortening drug discovery and development cycle times as well as finding additional indications for already-approved products.

Dr Rosenberg spoke of how neither government nor academia do well in translating fundamental research into products. He added that over 85% of the funds the company allots for R&D is spent in its own facilities, with some 80% of that $858 million going to PRI. Nevertheless, he stressed the importance of external contributions such as licensing, alliances, acquisitions and contract research to B-MS, and drew attention to the fact that the company had become more aggressive about enhancing its biotechnology efforts through partnering programs, although he personally believed that no major disease will be treated by gene therapy before the end of the decade and probably not for another 10 years.