Research and development
Fresenius focuses its R & D efforts on its core competencies in the following areas:
- Dialysis
- Infusion and nutrition therapies
- Generic IV drugs
- Medical devices
- Antibody therapies
Apart from products, we are concentrating on developing optimized or completely new therapies, treatment methods, and services. In 2010 we again successfully continued numerous projects and a number of new products were launched.
Expenses on research and development were €244 million (2009: €240 million). We therefore invested about 4% of our product sales in R & D (2009: 5%). The chart shows R & D expenses by segment. In 2010, Fresenius Medical Care increased its R & D spending by 9%, and Fresenius Kabi by 11%. In the segment Corporate/Other, €28 million was spent on R & D at Fresenius Biotech, mostly on the clinical development of trifunctional antibodies. This was below the €44 million spent in the previous year. Detailed figures are included in the segment reporting.
As of December 31, 2010, there were 1,449 employees in research and development in the Group (2009: 1,421). Of that number, 518 were employed at Fresenius Medical Care (2009: 494), 844 at Fresenius Kabi (2009: 829), and 87 at Fresenius Biotech (2009: 98).
The table shows a historical comparison of R & D expenses and the number of employees working in R & D.
| 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Excluding amortization expenses of €272 million on in-process R & D activities acquired with APP Pharmaceuticals | |||||
| R & D expenses, € in millions | 244 | 240 | 2071 | 184 | 167 |
| as % of product sales | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.71 | 4.9 | 4.7 |
| R & D employees | 1,449 | 1,421 | 1,336 | 999 | 911 |
Our main research sites are in Europe, the United States, and India. Product-related development activities are also carried out in China. Our R & D projects are mainly conducted in-house; external research is commissioned only on a limited scale.
In the following, we shall now inform you about the R & D activities in our business segments:
Fresenius Medical Care