Countless factors go into the decision-making processes underpinning how biopharmaceutical companies build their portfolio. Scientific validation, clinical risk, commercial opportunity, competitive intensity are uppermost, alongside the benefit to patients. The most established – or indeed idealistic – companies, which can afford to swallow risk and diversify across a broad portfolio, will say that unmet need is the fundamental driver for all decisions. Solve for patient necessity and the other considerations will fall into place as a result.
Yet, pharma portfolios and drug pipelines are heavily molded by scientific, commercial, and indeed regulatory practicalities. The objective quantification of...