AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) is a US-based biopharma company with global operations. The company originated as the bio-pharma segment of Abbott Laboratories and was spun off in late 2012. The company officially IPOd on January 2, 2013; contrary to criticisms, the move was solely to protect the parent company from expiring patents. Post-spin, AbbVie emerged as a research-based biopharma that has more than doubled in size. AbbVie, like its parent Abbot Laboratories, is a well-established dividend growth stock.
Over the years, AbbView Inc. has made numerous acquisitions. Among the more notable are ImmuVen, Pharamcyclics and Allergan plc. Allergan plc was an Ireland-based pharmaceutical company focused on health-oriented aesthetic products and is the owner of Botox. Botox accounts for the bulk of the company’s Aesthetics portfolio revenue and about 4% of the net as of 2022. The total revenue in 2021 was $56.20 billion with a 31% operating margin.
Today, AbbVie operates as a diversified multi-national pharmaceutical company with a patient-centric approach to research. It is in business to discover, develop, manufacture and market pharmaceuticals globally but in a way that best serves the needs of patients and the global community.
The company’s original winner, Humira, is still the number one revenue source but the portfolio has been greatly expanded. Other profitable therapies include but are not limited to SKYRIZI for psoriasis, RINVOQ for rheumatoid arthritis and IMBRUVICA and VENCLEXTA for chronic leukemia conditions.
The company is focused on research and has a number of collaborations and partnerships to that end. Among the many avenues of research and innovation are the advancement of precision medicine or pMedicine. PMeds are designed not only to target the specific causes of diseases, often at the genetic level, but the patients that are most likely to benefit from them. Assuming there are 2 highly effective drugs for 1 disease, PMedicine seeks to identify which patients respond better to each.
As of 2022, AbbVie employed more than 50,000 people globally with 21,000 in STEM-related positions. To date, the company had invested more than $50 billion into research through more than 250 partnerships. Partnerships are with universities, medical facilities, research organizations and other pharmaceutical companies. The company’s operations span 20 countries, treating more than 60 million people and 40 conditions annually.
AbbVie has 5 focus areas for its research and products. These are Immunology, Oncology, Neurology, Virology and Eye Care. The company has a robust pipeline of new products that are in some stage of clinical trials. In most cases, trials are underway for multiple indications, including some therapies that have already been approved for 1 or more conditions.
AbbVie is a leader in ESG and sustainability. The company is a member of the Fortune 100 and one of the Fortune 100’s “Best Companies To Work For”. It is a Top 50 Company regarding diversification and a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the S&P ESG Index. Among its many positions is sustainable operations so it can deliver life-changing therapies to those who need them most.
