Tomorrow’s discoveries require a different R&D organisation

The limitations of traditional organisational structures

Historically, many R&D organisations have been structured around separate scientific disciplines. Biology, chemistry, pharmacology, bioinformatics and translational research often operate as specialised functions with their own objectives, processes and responsibilities.

Although this structure enables deep expertise, it also introduces risks. Important insights can remain confined to a single discipline, decision-making takes place sequentially rather than in an integrated manner, and knowledge is not always shared effectively.

At a time when disease biology is becoming increasingly complex, the most relevant answers rarely originate from a single field. Innovation increasingly emerges at the intersection of disciplines.

Multidisciplinary collaboration as a competitive advantage

Successful drug development requires an integrated approach in which biologists, chemists, data scientists, bioinformaticians, translational researchers, clinical experts and biomarker specialists work together on the same scientific question from the outset.

This multidisciplinary collaboration shortens the time from hypothesis to decision, allows assumptions to be evaluated from different perspectives and improves the quality of scientific choices.

Organisations that bring disciplines together early are better equipped to identify risks, develop alternative strategies and advance promising programmes more rapidly.

The challenge is not simply to facilitate discussion, but to create a culture in which different areas of expertise are genuinely integrated into decision-making.

From linear processes to learning organisations

Drug development has traditionally been regarded as a linear process comprising target identification, preclinical research, clinical development and, ultimately, marketing authorisation.

Modern innovation is far more dynamic. New insights from clinical trials are fed back into the laboratory. Real-world data refine scientific hypotheses. Biomarker research informs the selection of patient populations, while genetic analyses identify new therapeutic targets.

The most successful organisations have therefore developed learning systems in which knowledge is continuously fed back into earlier phases of research.

Rather than a sequence of isolated projects, this creates a continuous process of experimentation, evaluation and improvement.

Technology strengthens organisations, but does not replace them

Artificial intelligence, automation and advanced data analytics are changing how researchers work. They make it possible to analyse larger datasets, identify patterns more rapidly and generate hypotheses more efficiently.

The greatest return from these technologies, however, does not come from automation alone.

Their true value emerges when they are embedded within organisations that have clear decision-making processes, multidisciplinary collaboration and a culture in which scientific insights are assessed critically.

Technology accelerates research. Organisations determine whether that acceleration leads to better decisions.

External innovation as a strategic pillar

Few organisations now possess all the internal expertise required to manage the full breadth of modern drug development.

Innovation is therefore increasingly taking place within open ecosystems in which pharmaceutical companies collaborate with biotechnology companies, academic research centres, contract research organisations and specialist technology partners.

Successful collaboration requires more than establishing partnerships. It requires organisations capable of rapidly integrating external knowledge, facilitating shared decision-making and translating new insights effectively into internal development programmes.

The ability to capitalise on external innovation has therefore become a strategic capability.

Leadership determines the capacity for innovation

Alongside technology, processes and organisational structures, leadership plays a decisive role.

Leaders in modern research and discovery create an environment that promotes scientific curiosity, encourages critical debate and does not avoid uncertainty, but investigates it explicitly.

They are prepared to discontinue projects when new evidence demands it, encourage collaboration across organisational boundaries and invest deliberately in developing multidisciplinary teams.

In an environment where scientific uncertainty is inevitable, the quality of leadership is an important predictor of sustainable innovation.

The future belongs to adaptive organisations

The speed at which science, technology and healthcare are evolving makes it clear that no organisational structure will remain optimal indefinitely.

Successful R&D organisations are therefore distinguished not by rigid processes, but by their ability to adapt continuously. They critically evaluate their ways of working, invest in new capabilities and build organisations that can respond flexibly to evolving scientific insights.

In this context, organisational adaptability becomes at least as important as scientific excellence.