Biopharmaceutical companies are engaged in the research, development, manufacturing, and
distribution of therapeutical drugs. As of 2022, the global drug sales of the biopharmaceutical
industry are estimated to be approximately $421 billion. Between 2021 and 2028, this market
is projected to grow at an annual rate of 11.34%.
As a young biopharmaceutical industry professional, finding the right opportunities to launch
our careers can be challenging. The reason for this is that academic curricula do not meet the
expectations of the industry. The gap between the skills and knowledge of young people needs
to be bridged.
For a first-timer in the biopharmaceutical industry, it is imperative to understand the various
components of the industry. An organization’s five major departments include research and
development, production, quality control, quality assurance, and regulatory affairs. The
company will also have supporting departments and a management team that will lead the
company.
The biopharmaceutical industry is characterized by its interdisciplinary nature, with a variety
of aspects involved in its operations. As a fresher, it is important to identify our position in the
industry and determine how to proceed.
A product is developed and formulated from scratch in the research and development
department on a laboratory scale. The parameters involved in upscaling it are determined once
the product has reached its optimum final form. Final products are manufactured according to
the parameters set by the research and development department in the production department.
The quality control department inspects all raw materials, intermediate products, and finished
products before they are sent to market, to ensure that they are of the highest quality. It is the
responsibility of the quality assurance department to ensure that all raw materials, intermediate
products, and final products meet the specified quality standards.
As part of this process, it is ensured that the batch is prepared according to the parameters of
the research and development department as well as the regulatory agency for which it is
intended. In addition to ensuring that a product meets all the criteria for a specific market, the
regulatory affairs department also obtains marketing approvals from the appropriate regulatory
agencies.
As part of its cost-saving and profit-enhancing strategy, the pharmaceutical industry also
outsources some or all of its work, depending on the size of the company. The pharmaceutical
industry utilizes contract research organizations, contract development and manufacturing
centres, and contract sales centres as outsourcing companies.
As a diverse industry, pharmaceuticals are devoted to improving the quality of healthcare and
making it more affordable. Having an understanding of the significance of the pharmaceutical
industry is essential for the young generation to succeed in this industry, as well as develop
their skills and knowledge to become industry visionaries and leaders.

Authored by Amritta.B, Biocon KGI Certificate Program in Biosciences, Batch 23