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Our Science: First, Faster, and for Patients

At AbbVie, our R&D teams are chasing bold goals. The therapies and solutions that no one else has achieved or even attempted. And we want to be there first. That's what we go after every day for our patients. 

Our research & development approach

Science and innovation are the lifeblood of our company. From drug discovery to clinical trials to regulatory approval, we're pursuing new ways to address patients' most challenging health issues.

Since our launch in 2013, we've invested more than $55 billion in R&D. This enables us to discover and deliver innovative medicines and products that solve serious health issues, enhance people's lives today, and address tomorrow's medical challenges.

We focus on core areas where our proven expertise and bold thinking have the greatest potential to solve unmet needs. These areas are oncology, immunology, neuroscience, eye care, medical aesthetics and other specialty areas.

Clinical Trials

A critical component of developing medicines is clinical research. This involves conducting clinical trials in humans to evaluate the safety and efficacy of investigational medications. Sometimes these studies include healthy volunteers but most of the studies are conducted in patients with the diseases we are studying.

There are important health benefits in making clinical trial data and information available to health care providers, researchers, patients and the general public. We are committed to sharing information regarding our clinical trials while respecting patient confidentiality and the rights of our scientists.

We register all clinical trials on the publicly available ClinicalTrials.gov and EU Clinical Trial registries. Regardless of outcomes, we disclose the results of our clinical trials on these registries.  Results from clinical trials are also often published in peer-reviewed scientific or medical journal and presented at professional scientific or medical meetings.

We recognise the benefits of sharing our clinical trial information with researchers. That’s why qualified researchers engaged in rigorous, independent scientific research can request access to our anonymised clinical trial data.

People

To develop innovative medicines, you need innovative people. Our teams collaborate across disciplines to connect people and ideas, fueling a culture of curiosity and problem-solving.

Pipeline

Our R&D work fuels a dynamic and diverse pipeline that continues to advance and deliver medicines and solutions for patients.

Performance

The need to do more for patients motivates our R&D work. By investing in boundary-pushing approaches, we aim to advance programs with a stronger probability of success and move assets forward faster.

Investigator-Initiated Studies

We’re committed to supporting investigator-initiated research that promotes the advancement of medical and scientific knowledge involving AbbVie’s products and therapeutic areas of interest. Our Investigator-Initiated Studies (IIS) Programme provides an opportunity for academic and community-based healthcare professionals and researchers worldwide interested in conducting their own research to apply for research support.

If you’re an investigator,  you can learn more about our research areas of interest and application process via our global website.

August 2023 | UK-ABBV-230331