Pharma: how the sector works
The pharmaceutical value chain end to end: discovery, clinical trials, approval, manufacturing, and commercialization, plus who the players are and how money is made.
This block gives you the operating logic of the pharmaceutical industry, from molecule discovery to patient access. You will see how R&D, manufacturing, regulatory approval, market access and distribution connect into a single value chain, and why timelines and capital intensity are so extreme compared to other sectors. You will map the major players, from big pharma and biotech to CMOs, PBMs, payers and regulators, and understand where profit pools concentrate and why patents matter so much. You will learn the regulatory backbone (FDA, EMA, ICH, GxP) that shapes every commercial decision. Finally, you will get the numbers, acronyms and benchmarks needed to read this sector fluently and assess opportunities or risks quickly.
What you'll master
- Map the pharmaceutical value chain from discovery through post-market surveillance and identify where value and risk concentrate
- Explain the competitive dynamics between originators, generics, biosimilars and payers, and how power and margin shift across the chain
- Identify which regulations (FDA, EMA, GxP, IP law) apply to a given business decision and what compliance it requires
- Use key market figures, ratios and acronyms to quickly assess a pharma company, deal or market opportunity