The top 20 biopharmaceutical companies demonstrated a strong start to 2025, despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding the potential impact of President Trump’s proposed pharmaceutical tariffs on global supply chains. Nevertheless, these companies reported an upturn of 6% in aggregate market capitalisation from $3.7tn on 31 December 2024 to $3.9tn on 31 March 2025, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals recorded the highest market capitalisation growth in Q1 2025, rising 22% to $127bn, driven by strong demand and continued expansion of its cystic fibrosis portfolio. Vertex recently received FDA approval for Alyftrek (deutivacaftor + tezacaftor + vanzacaftor calcium) in December 2024, followed by UK MHRA approval in March 2025. Alyftrek adds a next-in-class, once-daily triple combination therapy to Vertex’s existing cystic fibrosis offerings. In addition to strengthening its cystic fibrosis portfolio, Vertex is also diversifying its pipeline. The FDA’s January 2025 approval of Journavx (suzetrigine), a non-opioid oral pain treatment, further contributed to the company’s market capitalisation growth.
Gilead Sciences witnessed a market capitalisation growth of 21.1%, fueled by promising developments in its HIV portfolio. This includes successful Phase I data for a once-yearly formulation of Sunlenca (lenacapavir) for HIV prevention, building on the successful Phase III PURPOSE 1 and 2 trials of its twice-yearly formulation. The candidate is under FDA priority review, with approval anticipated by mid-2025. Further strengthening its HIV pipeline, Gilead also reported positive Phase III results from the ALLIANCE trial, which evaluated Biktarvy (bictegravir sodium + emtricitabine + tenofovir alafenamide) for patients with both HIV and hepatitis B co-infection.
Roche reported an 18.5% increase in market capitalisation due to its $5.3bn licensing agreement with Zealand Pharma (in March 2025) to co-develop and co-commercialise petrelintide and a fixed-dose combination with Roche’s asset, CT-388, marking its expansion into the cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic space.
Amgen saw a 17.7% market capitalisation growth, attributed to robust product sales, with double-digit growth across ten key products. Notable contributors included Repatha (evolocumab) for hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia, Blincyto (blinatumomab) for B-cell acute lymphocytic leukaemia, recently approved in June 2024, and Tezspire (tezepelumab-ekko) for severe asthma. Amgen’s market capitalisation growth was further fueled by recent positive Phase III data for Tezspire in the WAYPOINT trial in March 2025 for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and Uplizna (inebilizumab), which is now the first and only FDA-approved treatment for immunoglobulin G4-related disease.
DJ Kamal Mustafa
I’m DJ Kamal Mustafa, the founder and Editor-in-Chief of EMEA Tribune, a digital news platform that focuses on critical stories from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Pakistan. With a deep passion for investigative journalism, I’ve built a reputation for delivering exclusive, thought-provoking reports that highlight the region’s most pressing issues.
I’ve been a journalist for over 10 years, and I’m currently associated with EMEA Tribune, ARY News, Daily Times, Samaa TV, Minute Mirror, and many other media outlets. Throughout my career, I’ve remained committed to uncovering the truth and providing valuable insights that inform and engage the public.
