What role does Research and Development play in a biopharmaceutical company?

The role of Research and Development (R&D) in a biopharmaceutical company is primarily focused on identifying and creating new products. This process involves a series of stages, including basic research to understand diseases and biological processes, followed by the development of new therapies and drug candidates. R&D is crucial for innovation and plays a significant role in the pipeline of bringing new drugs from concept through testing to regulatory approval.

This function is essential because it drives the creation of new treatments that can address unmet medical needs. R&D encompasses extensive laboratory work, preclinical studies, and clinical trials, which are necessary steps to ensure that new drug products are both effective and safe for patient use.

In contrast, other roles such as quality testing of existing products primarily focus on ensuring that currently available products meet safety and efficacy standards. Similarly, managing the production process and ensuring product compliance, while important, pertain to later stages in the drug development lifecycle and do not encompass the innovative creation of new products, which is the hallmark of R&D.