Buzz
While most pharmaceutical companies involved in developing COVID-19 vaccines are profitable, it's not AstraZeneca or Pfizer, the first companies to roll out vaccines, that reap the most profits. Surprisingly, Moderna, the pharmaceutical company that introduced its vaccine later, is the most financially successful, primarily through the sales of medications.According to the QUICK-FactSet ranking, Moderna's value has surged to over $130 billion by the end of September, reaching nearly $140 billion now. The majority of this increase is attributed to the successful development of a new generation vaccine using mRNA technology, surpassing most other experienced pharmaceutical companies. The second position goes to Eli Lilly, which has also seen a $120 billion increase, thanks to the sales of COVID-19 treatments and other medications.
With these promising results, it's expected that emerging pharmaceutical companies with breakthrough technologies will continue to garner attention, especially if they achieve favorable clinical trial outcomes. This could pave the way for collaborations or even potential acquisitions by industry giants. While theoretically beneficial for disease prevention, it may also lead to a scenario where access to new technologies or treatment methods becomes contingent on copyright or intellectual property ownership. Many countries currently face this dilemma as major pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to share their dedication and vaccine technologies, which have become lucrative assets, with poorer nations.
