London is at the epicenter of pharmaceutical development in Europe. The city is home to world-class research centers, biotech firms, and heritage pharma companies. The city has developed a vibrant ecosystem dedicated to improving world health. Hereafter, we discuss the Top Pharmaceutical Companies in London, outlining their services, employees, global presence, and innovation in medicine.
1. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
- Website: https://www.gsk.com
- Employees: 70,000+
- Locations: Has offices in more than 100 countries
- Services:
- Vaccine development, such as HPV and shingles
- Respiratory and HIV therapies
- Over-the-counter consumer healthcare products (e.g., Panadol, Sensodyne)
- Oncology, immunology, and infectious disease research
A global pharmaceutical leader based in London, GSK brings science, technology, and talent together to stay one step ahead of disease.
2. AstraZeneca
- Website: https://www.astrazeneca.com
- Employees: 83,000+
- Locations: Active in more than 100 countries
- Services:
- Oncology, cardiovascular, and respiratory therapies
- Vaccines and biologics development
- Biosimilars and personalized medicine
- AI-based drug discovery
AstraZeneca, with strategic bases in London and Cambridge, is renowned internationally for its state-of-the-art therapies and life-saving vaccines.
3. Hikma Pharmaceuticals
- Website: https://www.hikma.com
- Employees: 8,700+
- Locations: International presence in the US, UK, MENA, and Europe
- Services:
- Generics, branded, and injectable drugs
- Anti-infective and pain management products
- Respiratory and cardiovascular drugs
- Contract manufacturing
London-headquartered Hikma is instrumental in delivering affordable and accessible medicines across key therapeutic areas.
4. ViiV Healthcare
- Website: https://www.viivhealthcare.com
- Employees: 1,000+
- Places: Offices in the UK, US, and worldwide markets
- Services:
- Sole concentration on HIV treatment and prevention
- Antiretroviral drug research and development
- Global HIV access program collaborations
- Community and advocacy collaborations
A joint entity of GSK, Pfizer, and Shionogi, ViiV Healthcare is a pioneer in combating HIV/AIDS with its London-based operations.
5. GW Pharmaceuticals (a subsidiary of Jazz Pharmaceuticals)
- Website: https://www.gwpharm.com
- Employees: 1,100+
- Locations: UK, US, and international regulatory markets
- Services:
- Medicines based on cannabis for epilepsy and MS
- FDA-approved treatments such as Epidiolex
- Neuroscience and orphan disease therapies
- Clinical research in the science of cannabinoids
GW Pharmaceuticals is a London-based leader in cannabinoid medicine, developing therapies for orphan neurological disorders.
6. BTG (now Boston Scientific)
- Website: https://www.bostonscientific.com
- Employees: Part of Boston Scientific’s 45,000+ staff
- Locations: UK, US, Europe
- Services:
- Interventional oncology and pulmonology
- Vascular and embolization treatments
- Specialty pharmaceuticals
- Medical device R&D
BTG, which was founded in London and taken over by Boston Scientific, is an interventional medicine and therapeutic technology global player.
7. BenevolentAI
- Website: https://www.benevolent.com
- Employees: 300+
- Locations: London, New York, Cambridge
- Services:
- AI-driven drug discovery
- Predictive disease modeling and compound development
- R&D-driven platform for immunology and oncology
- Collaborations with AstraZeneca and Novartis
BenevolentAI leverages artificial intelligence to re-engineer the pharmaceutical research pipeline at a faster pace from its London base.
8. Sosei Heptares
- Website: https://www.soseiheptares.com
- Employees: 200+
- Locations: UK, Japan
- Services:
- G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug design
- CNS and neurodegenerative disorder research
- R&D and licensing collaborations with AbbVie, Genentech
- Structure-based drug design platforms
One of the largest research subsidiaries of Japan-based Sosei Group, Sosei Heptares is located in London and specializes in receptor-targeting drug discovery.
9. Autolus Therapeutics
- Website: https://www.autolus.com
- Employees: 400+
- Locations: London and US
- Services:
- CAR-T cell therapy for blood cancers
- Immuno-oncology research and development
- Hematological malignancy clinical trials
- Precision cellular therapy platforms
Autolus, with its base in London, is an emerging leader in immunotherapies and engineered T-cell cancer therapies.
10. Silence Therapeutics
- Website: https://www.silence-therapeutics.com
- Employees: 150+
- Locations: London, Berlin, US
- Services:
- RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics
- Targeted gene silencing technologies
- Cardiovascular and orphan disease pipeline
- Collaborations with AstraZeneca and Mallinckrodt
Silence Therapeutics creates gene-based therapeutics centered around novel RNA delivery approaches, with its headquarters in London.
Final Thoughts
The Top Pharmaceutical Companies in London mirror the city’s position as a center for healthcare innovation. Ranging from gene editing and AI drug discovery through to cancer immunotherapies and vaccines, London-based pharma companies are revolutionizing the future of medicine.
