Pharma Deals in Focus: Therapeutic Areas and Drug Class Trends

In 2026, oncology clearly dominates deal activity with approximately 13 deals, highlighting its continued leadership driven by strong innovation in targeted therapies and biologics.

Immunological and autoimmune disorders (approx. 3 deals each) emerge as the next key areas, reflecting growing interest in immune-based treatments. Meanwhile, cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic (including obesity), and rare diseases (approx. 2 deals each) show steady but moderate activity, indicating diversification of R&D focus.

Most other areas recorded limited activity (approx. 1 deal each), suggesting either lower strategic priority or more mature pipelines.

In 2025, pharmaceutical deal activity is increasingly being shaped by the nature of drug classes, with a clear shift toward biologics and advanced therapies. Leading the trend are protein-based therapeutics, which are at the forefront of innovation across multiple disease areas, particularly in oncology and rare diseases. Their precision and targeted action have made them highly attractive in both licensing and R&D collaborations.

Small molecules continue to hold a significant share of deals, valued for their well-established development pathways and versatility across indications. Despite the rise of biologics, small molecules remain a cornerstone in drug discovery due to their scalability and cost-effectiveness.

Antibody-based therapies, especially monoclonal antibodies, are also seeing robust deal activity. Their application in immuno-oncology, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases makes them a critical focus for strategic partnerships.

Gene therapy, while still emerging, is gaining ground rapidly. With growing clinical validation and regulatory support, deals in this space are accelerating—highlighting the industry's confidence in gene-based approaches to treat previously untreatable conditions.

Together, these drug classes represent the evolving focus of the pharmaceutical industry, blending traditional modalities with cutting-edge biotechnologies to meet future healthcare demands.