The pharmaceutical and biotech industry in Boston has been booming for a few years now and the city has been raked in top cities in the US to work in. It is home to more than a thousand biotech companies and is the headquarters of pharma giants like Biogen, along with many small companies and start-ups.
We have listed down the top 10 pharmaceutical companies in Boston and the Great Boston area based on their revenues in recent years.
| Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies in Boston | Revenue |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. | $43.8 Billion |
| Moderna Inc. | $14.9 Billion |
| Biogen Inc. | $9.5 Billion |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals | $9 Billion |
| Charles River Laboratories International | $4.216 Billion |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals | $1.1 Billion |
| ImmunoGen Inc. | $287.6 Million |
| Entrada Therapeutics | $43.7 Million |
| Sage Therapeutics | $11.35 Million |
| Pretzel Therapeutics | $4 Million |
1. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
- Headquarters – Waltham, Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Chester G. Fisher
- Founded in – 2006
- Revenue – $43.8 Billion
Thermo Fisher Scientific is a biotechnology and laboratory equipment company that provides a wide range of scientific products and services. These products include technologies for mass spectrometry, genetic sequencing, electron microscopy, protein, and molecular biology research. It uses platforms and mediums like direct sales force, e-commerce, and third-party distributors in America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe to sell its products and services. It is based in Waltham, Massachusetts, and was formed through the merger of Thermo Electron and Fisher Scientific in 2006. It has been ranked in the Forbes 500 based on its revenue in 2022.
2. Moderna Inc.
- Headquarters – Cambridge, Greater Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Derrick Rossi, Timothy A. Springer, Kenneth R. Chien, Robert S. Langer, and Noubar Afeyan
- Founded in – 2010
- Revenue- $14.9 Billion
Moderna Inc. is a pharmaceutical companies in Boston that focuses on developing mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines and therapeutics. Through this platform, Moderna develops and produces human proteins, antibodies, and novel proteins, which help in preventing, treating, and curing diseases. The company’s name is derived from the words modified, RNA, and modern.
3. Biogen Inc.
- Headquarters – Cambridge, Greater Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Kenneth Murray, Phillip Allen Sharp, Walter Gilbert, Heinz Schaller, Charles Weissmann
- Founded in – 1978
- Revenue – $9.5 Billion
Biogen Inc. is a multinational biotechnology company that specializes in the discovery, development, and delivery of therapies for the treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease, Lupus, Depression, CNS and neuromuscular disorders, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s disease to patients worldwide. It was founded in 1978 in Geneva as Biotechnology Geneva by many prominent biologists and acquired its name Biogen in 2003.
4. Vertex Pharmaceuticals
- Headquarters – Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Joshua Boger and Kevin J. Kinsella
- Founded in – 1989
- Revenue – $9 Billion
It is a pharmaceutical companies in Boston that discovers and develops small molecule drugs for the treatment of serious diseases. It was one of the first firms that used the explicit strategy of rational drug design instead of combinatorial chemistry. Some of its drugs includes Kalydeco, Orkambi, Symdeko, and Trikafta/Kaftrio for cystic fibrosis.
5. Charles River Laboratories International
- Headquarters – Wilmington, Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Henry Foster
- Founded in – 1947
- Revenue – $4.216 Billion
It is a contract research organization (CRO) that provides products and services to accelerate research, drug discovery, and development. It specializes in a variety of preclinical and clinical laboratories, gene therapy and cell therapy. It has over 90 facilities in around 20 countries and provides solutions focused on therapy areas related to cardiovascular, central nervous system, metabolic, inflammation, oncology, ophthalmology, respiratory, and musculoskeletal disorders.
6. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
- Headquarters – Cambridge, Greater Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Phillip Sharp, Paul Schimmel, David Bartel, Thomas Tuschl, and Phillip Zamore
- Founded in – 2002
- Revenue – $1.1 Billion
It is a pharmaceutical companies in Boston focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of RNAi (RNA interference) therapeutics for genetically defined diseases. It was founded in 2002 by a group of scientists and is named after Alnilam, a star in Orion’s belt. Its marketed RNAi therapies include Onpattro, which is used in the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis.
7. ImmunoGen Inc.
- Headquarters – Waltham, Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Baruj Benacerraf
- Founded in – 1981
- Revenue – $287.6 Million
It is a biotechnology company focused on developing antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics for cancer treatment. An ImmunoGen ADC contains a manufactured antibody that binds to a target found on cancer cells, with one of the company’s potent cell-killing agents attached as a payload. It uses its ADC technology to develop its own product candidates.
8. Entrada Therapeutics
- Headquarters – Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Dehua Pei, Leo Qian
- Founded in – 2016
- revenue – $43.7 Million
Entrada Therapeutics is a pharmaceutical companies in Boston aiming to transform patients’ lives by establishing a new class of medicines, Endosomal Escape Vehicle therapeutics, to engage intracellular targets that have long been considered inaccessible and undruggable. Their mission is to transform the treatment of devastating diseases and improve patients’ quality of life by developing intracellular biologics.
9. Sage Therapeutics
- Headquarters – Cambridge, Greater Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Public
- Founded By – Douglas Covey, Steven Paul
- Founded in – 2010
- revenue – $11.35 Million
It is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical companies in Boston that discovers, develops, and markets drugs for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. Their mission is to deliver life-changing brain health medicines and treat depressive disorders, bipolar depression, Parkinson’s disease, insomnia, epileptiform disorders, and NMDA hypofunction.
10. Pretzel Therapeutics
- Headquarters – Waltham, Boston, Massachusetts
- Organization Type – Private
- Founded By – Michal Minczuk Claes Gustafsson Nils-Göran Larsson
- Founded in – 2019
- revenue – $4 Million
It is a pharmaceutical companies in Boston that intends to develop therapies for dysfunctional mitochondria. Their mission is to create therapies to reverse mitochondrial dysfunction by leveraging a deep mechanistic understanding of mitochondrial biology that can address mitochondrial dysfunction at its roots, enabling patients to effectively treat common diseases, including aging-related disorders.
The Gowing Industry Of Pharmaceutical and Biotech In Boston – Answering Your Queries
What factor contributes to Boston’s prominence in the pharmaceutical industry?
Boston has a diverse ecosystem of prestigious academic institutions, world-renowned research hospitals, and a well-established biotech community that promotes collaboration and innovation.
How does the pharmaceutical industry impact Boston’s economy?
With around 1,000 biotech companies, it generates significant revenue and creates numerous high-paying jobs, contributing to the city’s economic growth.
What role does research and development play in Boston’s pharmaceutical sector?
These two are at the forefront of the industry and help drive innovation and discovery of various diseases and medical conditions.
How does Boston’s pharmaceutical industry collaborate with academic and research institutes?
The companies often collaborate with these institutes to leverage their expertise and resources to advance their scientific knowledge and discover new therapies and medicines.
