7.5.b GlaxoSmithKline

• British pharmaceutical TNC
• 7th largest pharmaceutical as of 2015
• Revenue of $21.3 billion in 2013
• Offices in 115 countries
• Employs 99,000 people
• 12,500 employed into research and development
• Largest market is the US
• Asthma, cancer, infections, diabetes and mental health
• Spend £3 billion a year researching new medicines
• Research is usually partnered with other corporations
• Medicine is expensive due to lengthy testing phase which is usually unsuccessful
• Attempting to be an ethically focused pharmaceutical corporation

Scientific breakthroughs

• Malaria vaccine
• 2014 - GSK applied for approval for the first malaria vaccine
• Malaria kills 650,000 people every year - mainly africa
• GSK is committed to making the vaccine available in LIDCs

Patents

• GSK aren't fling patents in LIDCs
• Will allow some LIDCs to make and sell their drugs and keep some of the profit
• However, many of these LIDCs don't have the resources to produce the drugs and so it can be pointless
• 2009 - They announced they would cut prices by 25% in 50 of the poorest nations and invest 20% of profits into the least developed countries - not including HIV patents and EDCs

Drug manufacturing

• Singapore - $130 million investment into manufacturing facilities - creates jobs
• Leader in producing respiratory medicine
  • aimed at reducing effects and impacts of diseases instead of curing them
• 40 vaccines for 22 diseases
• 14 vaccines being developed
• 2 million vaccines produced every day
• 650 million vaccines produced in 2015

Global flows of distribution

• 10 year Singapore plan
• 70% of 2015's vaccines went to EDCs and LIDCs
• 80% of products made in the UK are exported
• Vaccines for children in 41 countries - through 'save the children'
• Cut carbon emissions by 21% since 2010