About R&D
Our scientists are working hard to discover new ways of treating and preventing diseases. By combining the wide-ranging talents of our R&D employees with our leading edge science resources, we are dedicated to bringing more medicines of value to patients. We are the only pharmaceutical company researching both medicines and vaccines for the World Health Organization’s three priority diseases: malaria, HIV and tuberculorsis, and are very proud to have developed some of the leading global medicines in these fields.
We are striving to build one of the strongest pipelines of potential new medicines in the industry. We spend £8 million on research and development each day, that’s around more than £300,000 every hour. 15,000 scientists work in our research team to discover new medicines and we screen 65 million compounds every year through cutting-edge technologies.
The creation of medicines in today's rapidly changing scientific environment requires innovation. We are changing the way we conduct drug discovery and development to take greatest advantage of the advances made in understanding the causes of disease. Our Centres of Excellence for Drug Discovery (CEDDs), encourage scientists to pursue potential treatments focused around defined therapy areas. Each CEDD creates Discovery Performance Units (DPU), focusing on a particular disease or pathway. The CEDDs create the spirit of a small R&D-led team within a very large pahramceutical organization and allow us to be more nimble and productive.
The CEDDs are focused on the following areas: Immuno-Inflammation, Infectious Diseases, Metabolic Pathways, Neurosciences and Respiratory.
GSK is also one of the largest collaborators in the pharmaceutical industry, and works effectively with academic institutions, governments, and other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide. The company believes that the strength of combined efforts will help people live healthier and happier.
Nobel Prize
With a rich heritage stretching back to the 18th century, GSK has a wealth of experience and expertise in the advancement of human health. Five of its scientists have won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in the past 70 years.
In 1936, Sir Henry Dale of Wellcome was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for his work in the chemical transmission of nerve impulses.
In 1982, Sir John Vane of Wellcome Research Laboratories was awarded the Nobel Prize, with two other scientists, for their discoveries concerning prostaglandins and related biologically active substances.
In 1988, the Nobel Prize for medicine was awarded to Dr. George Hitchings and Dr. Gertrude Elion, of Wellcome and Sir James Black, who had worked at the Wellcome Foundation and Smith Kline & French Laboratories, for their discoveries of important principles for drug treatment.