Pfizer develops and producesmedication andvaccines forimmunology,oncology,cardiology,endocrinology, andneurology. The company's largest products by sales are Eliquis (apixaban) ($7.3 billion in 2024 revenues, 11% of total revenues), Prevnar (apneumococcal conjugate vaccine) ($6.4 billion in 2024 revenues, 10% of total revenues), Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) ($5.7 billion in 2024 revenues, 9% of total revenues), Vyndaqel (tafamidis) ($5.4 billion in 2024 revenues, 8% of total revenues), Comirnaty (thePfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine) ($5.3 billion in 2024 revenues, 8% of total revenues), and Ibrance (palbociclib) ($4.3 billion in 2024 revenues, 6% of total revenues).[3] In 2024, 61% of the company's revenues came from the United States, 4% came from China, and 35% came from other countries.[3]
Pfizer was founded in 1849 as "Charles Pfizer & Company" byCharles Pfizer andCharles F. Erhart,[6] two cousins who had immigrated to the United States fromLudwigsburg, Germany. The business produced chemical compounds, and was headquartered on Bartlett Street[7] inWilliamsburg, Brooklyn, where they produced anantiparasitic calledsantonin. This was an immediate success, although it was production ofcitric acid that led to Pfizer's growth in the 1880s. Pfizer continued to buy property in the area (by now the Williamsburg district of the city ofBrooklyn, New York and beginning in 1898, theCity of Greater New York) to expand its lab and factory, retaining offices on Flushing Avenue until the 1960s; the Brooklyn plant ultimately closed in 2009.[8] Following their success with citric acid, Pfizer (at the now-demolished 295 Washington Avenue) and Erhart (at 280 Washington Avenue) established their main residences in the nearbyClinton Hill district, known for its concentration ofGilded Age wealth.[citation needed]
In 1881, Pfizer moved its administrative headquarters to 81 Maiden Lane inManhattan, presaging the company's expansion toChicago, Illinois, a year later.[7][9] By 1906 sales exceeded $3million.[10]
World War I caused a shortage ofcalcium citrate. Pfizer imported the compound from Italy for the manufacture of citric acid, and due to the disruption in supply, the company began a search for an alternative.[11] They found this in the form of afungus capable of fermenting sugar to citric acid. By 1919, the company was able to commercialize production of citric acid from this source.[11] The company developed expertise in fermentation technology as a result. These skills were applied to thedeep-submergence mass production ofpenicillin, anantibiotic, duringWorld War II in response to the need to treat injured Allied soldiers.[12] The company also embarked on a globalsoil collection program related to improving production yields of penicillin which ultimately resulted in 135,000 samples.[13]
Due to price declines forpenicillin, Pfizer searched for new antibiotics with greater profit potential. Pfizer discoveredoxytetracycline in 1950, and this changed the company from a manufacturer offine chemicals to a research-based pharmaceutical company. Pfizer developed adrug discovery program focused on in vitro synthesis to augment its research in fermentation technology. In 1959, the company established ananimal health division with a 700-acre (2.8 km2) farm and research facility inTerre Haute, Indiana.[12]
By the 1950s, Pfizer had established offices in Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom. In 1960, the company moved its medical research laboratory operations out of New York City to a new facility in Groton, Connecticut. In 1980, Pfizer launched Feldene (piroxicam), a prescription anti-inflammatory medication that became Pfizer's first product to reach $1billion in revenue.[10]
As the area surrounding its Brooklyn, NY plant fell into decline in the 1970s and 1980s, the company formed a public-private partnership with New York City that encompassed the construction of low- and middle-income housing, the refurbishment of apartment buildings for the homeless and the establishment of acharter school.[9]
In 1986, Pfizer acquired the worldwide rights to Zithromax (azithromycin), a macrolide antibiotic that is recommended by theInfectious Disease Society of America as a first line treatment for certain cases of community-acquired pneumonia, fromPliva.[15][16]
In 1989, Pfizer scientists Peter Dunn and Albert Wood created Viagra (sildenafil) for treatinghigh blood pressure andangina, a chest pain associated withcoronary artery disease. In 1991, it was patented in the United Kingdom as a heart medication. Early trials for the medication showed that it did not work for the treatment of heart disease, but volunteers in the clinical trials had increasederections several days after taking the drug. It was patented in the United States in 1996 and received approval by theFood and Drug Administration in March 1998. In December 1998, Pfizer hiredBob Dole as a spokesperson for the drug.[17] The patents for Viagra expired in 2020.[18]
In 1997, the company entered into a co-marketing agreement withWarner–Lambert for Lipitor (atorvastatin), astatin for the treatment ofhypercholesterolemia. Although atorvastatin was the fifthstatin to be developed, clinical trials showed that atorvastatin caused a more dramatic reduction inlow-density lipoprotein pattern C (LDL-C) than the other statin drugs. Upon its patent expiration in 2011, Lipitor was the best-selling drug ever, with approximately $125billion in sales over 14.5 years.[24]
On December 3, 2006, Pfizer ceased development oftorcetrapib, a drug that increases production ofHDL, which reducesLDL thought to be correlated to heart disease. During aPhase III clinical trial involving 15,000 patients, more deaths than expected occurred in the group that took the medicine, and themortality rate of patients taking the combination of torcetrapib and Lipitor (82 deaths during the study) was 60% higher than those taking Lipitor alone (52 deaths during the study). Lipitor alone was not implicated in the results, but Pfizer lost nearly $1billion developing the failed drug and its stock price dropped 11% on the day of the announcement.[32][33][34][35]
Between 2007 and 2010, Pfizer spent $3.3million on investigations and legal fees and recovered about $5.1million, and had another $5million of pending recoveries from civil lawsuits against makers ofcounterfeit prescription drugs. Pfizer has hired customs and narcotics experts worldwide to track down fakes and assemble evidence that can be used to pursue civil suits fortrademark infringement.[36]
In July 2008, Pfizer announced 275 job cuts at its manufacturing facility inPortage, Michigan. Portage was previously the world headquarters ofUpjohn Company, which had been acquired as part of Pharmacia.[37][38]
In June 2000, Pfizer acquired Warner-Lambert outright for $116billion. To satisfy conditions imposed by antitrust regulators at theFederal Trade Commission, Pfizer sold off or transferred stakes in several minor products, including RID (a shampoo for treatment ofhead lice, sold toBayer) and Warner-Lambert's antidepressantCelexa (which competes with Zoloft).[39] The acquisition created what was, at the time, the second-largest pharmaceutical company worldwide.[40]
In October 2006, the company announced it would acquire PowerMed.[47]
On October 15, 2009, Pfizer acquiredWyeth for $68billion in cash and stock, including the assumption of debt, making Pfizer the largest pharmaceutical company in the world.[48][49][50][51][52] The acquisition of Wyeth provided Pfizer with apneumococcal conjugate vaccine, trademarkedPrevnar 13; this is used for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal infections. The introduction of the original, 7-valent version of the vaccine, developed byWyeth in February 2000, led to a 75% reduction in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal infections among children under age5 in the United States. Pfizer introduced an improved version of the vaccine in 2010, for which it was granted a patent in India in 2017. Prevnar 13 provides coverage of 13 bacterial variants, expanding beyond the original 7-valent version.[52] By 2012, the rate of invasive infections among children under age5 had been reduced by an additional 50%.[53][54]
In February 2011, Pfizer announced the closure of its UK research and development facility (formerly also a manufacturing plant) inSandwich, Kent, which at the time employed 2,400 people.[56] In March 2011, Pfizer acquiredKing Pharmaceuticals for $3.6billion in cash. King produced emergency injectables such as theEpiPen.[57]
On September 4, 2012, the FDA approvedbosutinib (Bosulif) forchronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a rare type ofleukemia and a blood andbone marrow disease that affects primarily older adults.[58] In November 2012, Pfizer received approval from theFood and Drug Administration for Xeljanz, atofacitinib, forrheumatoid arthritis andulcerative colitis.[59] The drug had sales of $1.77billion in 2018, and in January 2019, it was the top drug in the United States fordirect-to-consumer advertising, passingadalimumab (Humira).[60] In 2023, the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) identified Xeljanz (tofacitinib) as one of five high-expenditure drugs that experienced significant net price increases without new clinical evidence to justify the hikes. Specifically, Xeljanz's wholesale acquisition cost rose by 6%, leading to an additional $72 million in costs to U.S. payers.[61]
In September 2014, the company acquired Innopharma for $225million, plus up to $135million in milestone payments, in a deal that expanded Pfizer's range of generic and injectable drugs.[68][69]
On January 5, 2015, the company announced it would acquire a controlling interest in Redvax, expanding its vaccine portfolio targeting humancytomegalovirus.[70] In February 2015, the company received approval from theFood and Drug Administration forpalbociclib (Ibrance) for treatment of certain types ofbreast cancer.[71][72] In March 2015, the company announced it would restart its collaboration withEli Lilly and Company surrounding thePhase III trial ofTanezumab.[73] In May 2015, Pfizer and aBar-Ilan University laboratory announced a partnership based on the development of medicalDNA nanotechnology.[74] In June 2015, the company acquired Nimenrix and Mencevax,meningococcal vaccines, from GlaxoSmithKline for around $130million.[75] In September 2015, Pfizer acquiredHospira for $17billion, including the assumption of debt.[76]Hospira was the largest producer of generic injectable pharmaceuticals in the world.[77] On November 23, 2015, Pfizer andAllergan announced a planned $160billion merger, in the largest pharmaceutical deal ever and the third largest corporate merger in history. The proposed transaction contemplated that the merged company maintain Allergan'sRepublic of Ireland domicile, resulting in the new company being subject tocorporation tax at the relatively low rate of 12.5%.[78] The deal was to constitute areverse merger, whereby Allergan acquired Pfizer, with the new company then changing its name to "Pfizer, plc".[79][80][81] On April 6, 2016, Pfizer and Allergan terminated the merger agreement after theObama administration and theUnited States Department of the Treasury introduced new laws intended to limitcorporate inversions (the extent to which companies could move their headquarters overseas in order to reduce the amount of taxes they pay).[82][83]
In June 2016, the company acquired Anacor Pharmaceuticals for $5.2billion, expanding its portfolio in both inflammation and immunology drugs areas.[84] In August 2016, the company made a $40million bid for the assets of BIND Therapeutics, which was inbankruptcy.[85] The same month, the company acquired Bamboo Therapeutics for $645million, expanding its gene therapy offerings.[86] In September 2016, the company acquired cancer drug-makerMedivation for $14billion.[87][88] In October 2016, the company licensed the anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody, ONC-392, from OncoImmune.[89] In November 2016, Pfizer funded a $3,435,600 study with theCDC Foundation to research "screen-and-treat" strategies forcryptococcal disease inBotswana.[90] In December 2016, Pfizer acquiredAstraZeneca's small-molecule antibiotics business for $1.575 billion.[91][92]
In January 2018, Pfizer announced that it would end its work on research into treatments forAlzheimer's disease andParkinsonism (a symptom ofParkinson's disease and other conditions). The company said about 300 researchers would lose their jobs.[93] In July 2018, theFood and Drug Administration approvedenzalutamide, developed by Pfizer andAstellas Pharma for patients withcastration-resistantprostate cancer.[94] In August 2018, Pfizer signed an agreement withBioNTech to conduct joint research and development activities regardingmRNA-basedinfluenza vaccines.[95] In October 2018, effective January 1, 2019,Albert Bourla was promoted tochief executive officer, succeedingIan Read, his mentor.[96][97][98][99]In July 2019, the company acquired Therachon for up to $810million, expanding its rare disease portfolio through Therachon's recombinant human fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 compound, aimed at treating conditions such asachondroplasia.[100] Also in July, Pfizer acquiredArray Biopharma for $10.6billion, boosting its oncology pipeline.[101] In August 2019, Pfizer merged its consumer health business with that of GlaxoSmithKline, into ajoint venture owned 68% by GlaxoSmithKline and 32% by Pfizer, with plans to make it apublic company. The transaction built on a 2018 transaction where GlaxoSmithKline acquiredNovartis' stake in the GSK-Novartis consumer healthcare joint business.[102] The transaction followed negotiations with other companies includingReckitt Benckiser,[103]Sanofi,Johnson & Johnson,[104] andProcter & Gamble.[105] In September 2019, Pfizer initiated a study with theCDC Foundation to investigate the tracking ofhealthcare-associated infections, scheduled to run through to June 2023.[90] In December 2019, Pfizer awarded the CDC Foundation a further $1,948,482 to continue itscryptococcal disease screening and treatment research in nine African countries.[90]
2020–present: pandemic, corporate development, and Trump tariffs
The following month, theFoundation for the National Institutes of Health announced the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) public-private partnership to develop a coordinated research strategy for prioritizing and speeding up development of COVID-19 vaccines and pharmaceutical products.[110] Pfizer joined the partnership as an industry "leadership organization", and participated as a collaborator in ACTIV-led clinical trials.[111][112] CEOAlbert Bourla attended theGAVICOVAX AMC 2021 Investment Opportunity Launch Event, otherwise named One World Protected, on April 15, 2021.[113]
In Canada, Pfizer endorsed the use of avaccine passportmobile app developed by CANImmunize in order to record and track status of COVID-19 vaccination.[114]
As the scale of theCOVID-19 pandemic became apparent, Pfizer partnered with BioNTech to study and developCOVID-19 mRNA vaccine candidates. Unlike many of its competitors, Pfizer took no initial research funds from the United States'Operation Warp Speed vaccine development program, instead choosing to invest roughly $2 billion of its own funds. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla has said that he declined money from Operation Warp Speed to avoid government intervention, stating later that "when you get money from someone that always comes with strings. They want to see how we are going to progress, what type of moves you are going to do. They want reports. And also, I wanted to keep Pfizer out of politics, by the way."[115]
In May 2020, Pfizer began testing four differentCOVID-19 vaccine variations usinglipid nanoparticle technology provided by Canadian biotechnology companyAcuitas Therapeutics.[116] Vaccines were injected into the first human participants in the U.S. in early May. In July 2020, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that two of the partners' fourmRNA vaccine candidates had won fast track designation from theFDA.[117] The company began PhaseII-III testing on 30,000 people in the last week of July 2020 and was slated to be paid $1.95billion for 100million doses of the vaccine by the US government.[118] In September 2020, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that they had completed talks with the European Commission to provide an initial 200million vaccine doses to the EU, with the option to supply another 100million doses at a later date.[119]
On November 9, 2020, Pfizer announced that BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, tested on 43,500 people, was found to be 90% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19.[120] The efficacy was updated to 95% a week later, described as a "really a spectacular number" and made Pfizer and BioNTech the first companies to develop and test a working vaccine for COVID-19.[121][122]
In November and December 2020, regulators in various countries approved Pfizer's vaccine for emergency use.[123]
In November 2021, Pfizer launched a new COVID-19 oral antivirus treatment known asPaxlovid. In January 2022, the Pfizer CEOAlbert Bourla confirmed that the trial results of a fourth dose were pending until March 2022. He said that the firm was setting up a collaboration to develop an anti-COVID pill treatment along with a French company,Novasep. He also said the COVID vaccine was "safe and efficient" for children.[124][125] In May 2022, reports emerged of patients experiencing "rebound" symptoms after completing a five-day course of Paxlovid.[126] The FDA responded by announcing they had performed additional analyses of the drug's clinical trial data, and decided against changing its recommendations.[127] U.S. PresidentJoe Biden and Dr.Anthony Fauci were both reported to experience this rebound syndrome in the months that followed, while continuing to recommend the drug for those who may benefit from it.[128]
In September 2020, the company acquired a 9.9% stake in CStone Pharmaceuticals for $200million (HK$1.55billion), helping to commercialise its anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, CS1001.[129] In October 2020, the company acquired Arixa Pharmaceuticals.[130] In November 2020, using aReverse Morris Trust structure, Pfizer merged its off-patent branded andgeneric drug business, known as Upjohn, withMylan to formViatris, owned 57% by Pfizer shareholders.[131][132]
On January 5, 2021, Pfizer introduced a newlogo.[133] In April 2021, Pfizer acquired Amplyx Pharmaceuticals and its anti-fungal compoundfosmanogepix (APX001).[134][135] In August, the company announced it would acquire Trillium Therapeutics Inc and its immuno-oncology portfolio for $2.3 billion.[136][137]
In July 2024, Pfizer and Flagship Pioneering announced an "Innovation Supply Chain" partnership to co-develop 10 drug candidates. Each party committed $50 million upfront, leveraging Flagship's ecosystem of over 40 startups to align with Pfizer's priorities. Pfizer will fund the selected programs and has the option to license or acquire assets, with potential success milestones and royalties reaching up to $700 million per commercialized drug. Two programs, focused onobesity andcardiovascular diseases, have already been initiated.[154]
The partnership represents a new model in pharmaceutical R&D, focusing on early collaboration with startups to streamline drug development. For startups, the model provides an opportunity for early engagement with pharmaceutical companies, offering potential funding and reduced uncertainty in development programs.[154]
In October 2024, Pfizer announced a partnership with the Ignition AI Accelerator, a collaborative initiative byNVIDIA, Tribe, and Digital Industry Singapore (DISG). The collaboration aims usingartificial intelligence to expeditedrug discovery and development processes, improve operational efficiency, and streamline stakeholder engagement. The initiative also focuses on optimizing manufacturing processes, including improving yields and reducing cycle times.[155][156]
Expanding AI Collaboration for Clinical Trials with Saama
Saama and Pfizer reached an expanded multi-year agreement to integrate AI-driven solutions across Pfizer's R&D portfolio, building on their 2020 partnership. Initially the partnership focused on automating data review processes with the Smart Data Quality (SDQ) platform — developed during Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine trials — the partnership as of 2024 scales to streamline data review and accelerate regulatory submissions across global studies. The expanded collaboration introduces Saama's Biometrics Research and Analysis Information Network, enabling faster statistical programming, biostatistics workflows, and submission-ready outputs.[157]
Pfizer focuses on addressing critical health challenges through innovation in various therapeutic areas. In the field of rare diseases, the company develops treatments for conditions such asDuchenne muscular dystrophy,hemophilia,sickle cell disease, andGaucher disease, with an inclination ongene therapy and improving diagnostic resources for patients with unmet medical needs.[158]
Pfizer has a longstanding history in vaccines, contributing to breakthroughs in diseases like polio and smallpox. Currently, the company focuses on vaccines for pneumococcal and meningococcal diseases, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV),Lyme disease, andClostridioides difficile.[159][160] It also invests in maternal and neonatal vaccines,cancer prevention, and efforts to mitigatehospital-acquired infections. It also works in advancing therapies for issues related to metabolic and cardiovascular health, including obesity,type 2 diabetes,insulin resistance, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).[161]
Danuglipron Development: Initial trials of the twice-daily formulation showed potential for weight loss and blood sugar management.
New Formulation: A once-daily modified-release version has been identified for further study, showing a suitable pharmacokinetic profile and no significant safety issues in trials involving 1,400 participants.
Dose optimization trials are planned for late 2024 to support large-scale registration studies.[162]
In November 2025, Pfizer agreed to acquire Metsera to expand its weight-loss drug portfolio in a deal that had the potential to exceed $10 billion.[163]
Pfizer develops targeted therapies to treat multiple cancer types, including bladder, breast, cervical, lung, and colorectal cancers, as well as hematological malignancies. The company conducts research onprecision medicine andimmunotherapy, aiming to improve survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients. Specially, the acquisition of Seagen has supported further development of oncology treatments, including mRNA cancer vaccines.[164]
Prostate Cancer: The EMBARK trial showed improved metastasis-free survival in high-risk, non-metastatic prostate cancer patients, leading to the FDA approval of a combination therapy in 2023.[165]
The TALAPRO-2 study explored treatments for metastatic prostate cancer with homologous recombination repair mutations, which are found in 25% of cases.[166]
Bladder Cancer: The EV-302 study investigated new treatments for advanced urothelial cancer, focusing on improving care for hard-to-treat patient groups.[167]
Advances in AI, gene therapy, and breakthrough treatments
Pfizer has also started initiatives which aim to address healthcare challenges across various regions and therapeutic areas in advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), gene therapy, obesity treatments, and oncology research. In 2023, Pfizer's affordability and access programs reached 45 million patients in the MERA region, supported by the IUdo app, which was launched inEgypt,Qatar, andLebanon to facilitate patient access to care. In 2024, Pfizer focuses on integrating AI and gene therapy in theMiddle East,Russia, andAfrica (MERA) region, with its headquarters inDubai.[164] Key initiatives include:
Personalized Healthcare: Omnichannel strategies are being used to provide tailored healthcare solutions for patients and professionals.[168]
In 1993, theFood and Drug Administration (FDA) approvedgabapentin only for treatment ofseizures.Warner–Lambert, which merged with Pfizer in 2000, usedcontinuing medical education andmedical research, sponsored articles about the drug for the medical literature, and alleged suppression of unfavorable study results, to promote gabapentin. Within five years, the drug was being widely used foroff-label uses such as treatment of pain and psychiatric conditions. Warner–Lambert admitted to violating FDA regulations by promoting the drug for pain, psychiatric conditions, migraine, and other unapproved uses.[173] In 2004, the company paid $430million in one of the largest settlements to resolve criminal and civil health care liability charges. It was the first off-label promotion case successfully brought under theFalse Claims Act.[174] A Cochrane review concluded that gabapentin is ineffective in migraine prophylaxis.[175] TheAmerican Academy of Neurology rates it as having unproven efficacy, while theCanadian Headache Society and theEuropean Federation of Neurological Societies rate its use as being supported by moderate and low-quality evidence.[176]
In September 2009, Pfizer pleaded guilty to the illegal marketing ofarthritis drugvaldecoxib (Bextra) and agreed to a $2.3billion settlement, the largesthealth care fraud settlement at that time.[177] Pfizer promoted the sale of the drug for several uses and dosages that theFood and Drug Administration specifically declined to approve due to safety concerns. The drug was pulled from the market in 2005.[178] It was Pfizer's fourth such settlement in a decade.[179][180][181] The payment included $1.195billion in criminal penalties for felony violations of theFederal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and $1.0billion to settle allegations it had illegally promoted the drugs for uses that were not approved by theFood and Drug Administration (FDA) leading to violations under theFalse Claims Act as reimbursements were requested from Federal and State programs. The criminal fine was the largest ever assessed in the United States to date.[179][180][181] Pfizer entered acorporate integrity agreement with theOffice of Inspector General that required it to make substantial structural reforms within the company, and publish to its website its post approval commitments and a searchable database of all payments to physicians made by the company.[182]
Peter Rost was vice president in charge of theendocrinology division atPharmacia before its acquisition by Pfizer. During that time he raised concerns internally aboutkickbacks and off-label marketing of Genotropin, Pharmacia'shuman growth hormone drug. Pfizer reported the Pharmacia marketing practices to the FDA and Department of Justice; Rost was unaware of this and filed an FCA lawsuit against Pfizer. Pfizer kept him employed, but isolated him until the FCA suit was unsealed in 2005. The Justice Department declined to intervene, and Pfizer fired him, and he filed a wrongful termination suit against Pfizer. Pfizer won a summary dismissal of the case, with the court ruling that the evidence showed Pfizer had decided to fire Rost prior to learning of his whistleblower activities.[183][184]
A "whistleblower suit" was filed in 2005 againstWyeth, which was acquired by Pfizer in 2009, alleging that the company illegally marketedsirolimus (Rapamune) foroff-label uses, targeted specific doctors and medical facilities to increase sales of Rapamune, tried to get transplant patients to change from their transplant drugs to Rapamune, and specifically targetedAfrican Americans. According to the whistleblowers, Wyeth also provided doctors and hospitals that prescribed the drug with kickbacks such as grants, donations, and other money.[185] In 2013, the company pleaded guilty to criminal mis-branding violations under theFederal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. By August 2014, it had paid $491million in civil and criminal penalties related to Rapamune.[186]
In June 2010, health insurance networkBlue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) filed a lawsuit against Pfizer for allegedly illegally marketing drugs Bextra, Geodon and Lyrica. BCBS alleged that Pfizer used kickbacks and wrongly persuaded doctors to prescribe the drugs.[187][188] According to the lawsuit, Pfizer handed out 'misleading' materials onoff-label uses, sent over 5,000 doctors on trips to theCaribbean or around the United States, and paid them $2,000 honoraria in return for listening to lectures about Bextra.[189][190] Despite Pfizer's claims that "the company's intent was pure" in fostering a legal exchange of information among doctors, an internal marketing plan revealed that Pfizer intended to train physicians "to serve as public relations spokespeople."[191] The case was settled in 2014 for $325million.[192] Fearing that Pfizer is "too big to fail" and that prosecuting the company would result in disruptions toMedicare andMedicaid, federal prosecutors instead charged a subsidiary of a subsidiary of a subsidiary of Pfizer, which is "nothing more than a shell company whose only function is to plead guilty."[191]
The Quigley Company, which soldasbestos-containing insulation products until the early 1970s, was acquired by Pfizer in 1968. In June 2013, asbestos victims and Pfizer negotiated a settlement that required Pfizer to pay a total of $964million: $430million to 80% of existing plaintiffs and place an additional $535million into a settlement trust that will compensate future plaintiffs as well as the remaining 20% of plaintiffs with claims against Pfizer and Quigley. Of that $535million, $405million is in a 40-year note from Pfizer, while $100million is from insurance policies.[193]
Pfizer purchased Shiley in 1979, at the onset of its Convexo-Concave valve ordeal, involving theBjork–Shiley valve. Approximately 500 people died when defectiveheart valves fractured and, in 1994, Pfizer agreed to pay $10.75million to settle claims by theUnited States Department of Justice that the company lied to get approval for the valves.[194]
A federal lawsuit was filed by a scientist claiming she got an infection by a genetically modifiedlentivirus while working for Pfizer, resulting in intermittentparalysis.[195] A judge dismissed the case citing a lack of evidence that the illness was caused by the virus but the jury ruled that by firing the employee, Pfizer violated laws protectingfreedom of speech andwhistleblowers and awarded her $1.37million.[196]
Brigham Young University (BYU) said a professor of chemistry, Dr.Daniel L. Simmons, discovered an enzyme in the 1990s that led towards development ofCelebrex. BYU was originally seeking a 15% royalty on sales, equating to $9.7billion. A research agreement had been made between BYU andMonsanto, whose pharmaceutical business was later acquired by Pfizer, to develop a betteraspirin. The enzyme Dr. Simmons claims to have discovered would induce pain and inflammation while causing gastrointestinal problems and Celebrex is used to reduce those issues. A six-year battle ensued because BYU claimed that Pfizer did not give Dr. Simmons credit or compensation, while Pfizer claimed that it had met all obligations regarding the Monsanto agreement. In May 2012, Pfizer settled the allegations, agreeing to pay $450million.[197]
In 1996, an outbreak of measles, cholera, and bacterial meningitis occurred in Nigeria. Pfizer representatives and personnel from a contract research organization (CRO) traveled toKano to set up a clinical trial and administer an experimentalantibiotic,trovafloxacin, to approximately 200 children.[198] Tests in animals showed that Trovan had life-threatening side effects, including joint disease, abnormal cartilage growth, liver damage, and a degenerative bone condition. Pfizer's representatives did not alert the parents or patients about the serious risks involved, or tell them about an effective conventional treatment that Doctors without Borders was providing at the same site.[199] Local Kano officials reported that more than fifty children died in the experiment, while many others developed mental and physical deformities such as blindness, deafness, paralysis, and brain damage.[200] The nature and frequency of both fatalities and other adverse outcomes were similar to those historically found among pediatric patients treated for meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa.[201] In 2001, families of the children, as well as the governments of Kano and Nigeria, filed lawsuits regarding the treatment.[202] According toDemocracy Now!, "[r]esearchers did not obtain signed consent forms, and medical personnel said Pfizer did not tell parents their children were getting the experimental drug."[203] The lawsuits also accused Pfizer of using the outbreak to perform unapproved human testing, as well as allegedly under-dosing a control group being treated with traditional antibiotics in order to skew the results of the trial in favor of Trovan. Nigerian medical personnel as well as at least one Pfizer physician said the trial was conducted without regulatory approval.[204][205]
In 2007, Pfizer published a Statement of Defense letter, claiming that Trozan was safely tested in five thousand patients prior to the Nigerian children clinical trial, and mortality in the patients treated by Pfizer was lower than that observed historically in African meningitis epidemics.[206] They claim that the effects suffered by the victims were due to meningitis and not Trovan. Pfizer states that its actions did not violate any law, as there was no law in Nigeria that requires ethical committee approval prior to conducting a clinical trial. However, the drug was never tested in children before. Pfizier claims that no unusual side effects, unrelated to meningitis, were observed after four weeks in the Nigerian children clinical study, though an investigation by the Washington Post revealed that one of the children continued to have the drug administered to them until their death despite their condition worsening, which violated ethical guidelines.[207]
In March 2001 the license for Trovan was withdrawn in Europe, by the European Commission due to liver toxicity and some deaths.[208]
In June 2010, the US Supreme Court rejected Pfizer's appeal against a ruling allowing lawsuits by the Nigerian families to proceed.[209]
In December 2010, theUnited States diplomatic cables leak indicated that Pfizer hired investigators to find evidence of corruption against Nigerian attorney generalMichael Aondoakaa to persuade him to drop legal action.[210]The Washington Post reporter Joe Stephens, who helped break the story in 2000, called these actions "dangerously close to blackmail".[203] In response, the company released a press statement describing the allegations as "preposterous" and saying that it acted in good faith.[211] Aondoakka, who had allegedly demanded bribes from Pfizer in return for a settlement of the case,[212] was declared unfit for office and had his U.S. visa revoked in association with corruption charges in 2010.[213][214]
The lawsuits were eventually settled out of court. Pfizer committed to payingUS$35 million "to compensate the families of children in the study", another $30 million to "support healthcare initiatives in Kano", and $10 million to cover legal costs. Payouts began in 2011.[215]
In July 2022, UK antitrust authorities fined Pfizer £63 million for unfairly high priced drug that aids in controlling epileptic seizures. The Competition and Markets Authority stated that the company took advantage of loopholes by de-branding epilepsy drug Epanutin, by doing so the price of Epanutin's price was not regulated to the same standards the company are used to and therefore the price of the drug was raised. It was stated that over a four-year period, Pfizer had billed Epanutin for around 780% and 1,600% higher than its standard price.[216]
Allegations of patent infringement on mRNA technology (2022)
In August 2022,Moderna announced that it will sue Pfizer and its partnerBioNTech forinfringing their patent on the mRNA technology.[217] In May 2024, theEuropean Patent Office upheld the validity of Moderna's EP949 patent, one of the two patents asserted against Pfizer and BioNTech.[218]
In February 2021, after a year long investigation relying on unnamed officials, Pfizer was accused byThe Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) of employing "high-level bullying" against at least twoLatin American countries during negotiations to acquire COVID-19 vaccines, including requesting that the countries put sovereign assets ascollateral for payments.[219] According to TBIJ, these negotiation tactics resulted in a months long delay in Pfizer reaching a vaccine agreement with one country and a complete failure to reach agreements with two other countries, includingArgentina and Brazil.[219]
In November 2021, TBMJ published an article after obtaining information from awhistleblower from the Ventavia Research Group. Ventavia was hired by Pfizer as a research subcontractor. A regional director (whistleblower) who was employed at Ventavia Research Group has toldThe BMJ that the company falsified data, unblinded patients, employed inadequately trained vaccinators, and was slow to follow up on adverse events reported inPfizer's pivotal phase III trial. The regional director, Brook Jackson, emailed a complaint to the USFood and Drug Administration (FDA). Ventavia fired her later the same day.[220] TheEuropean Medicines Agency (EMA) stated in a response to theEuropean Parliament, that "the deficiencies identified do not jeopardize the quality and integrity of the data from the main Comirnaty trial and have no impact on the benefit-risk assessment or on the conclusions on the safety, effectiveness and quality of the vaccine".[221]Science-Based Medicine emphasized that Ventavia oversaw just three of the 153 clinical sites involved with Pfizer's trial and "a small fraction (~1,000 by the time the whistleblower was fired) of the trial's over ~44,000 subjects."[222]
On 10 October 2022, during a session of theEuropean Parliament's Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic, Pfizer executive Janine Small testified that the company had not evaluated thePfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for its ability to reduce transmission of theSARS-CoV-2 virus prior to its release to the general public.[223][224] Dutch MEPRob Roos described the admission as "scandalous".[225] CEOAlbert Bourla was slated to attend, but withdrew.[226] Roos' statements in turn have been described as "misleading".[227]
Since 2000, the company has implemented more than 4,000greenhouse gas reduction projects.[228]
Pfizer has inherited Wyeth's liabilities in theAmerican Cyanamid site inBridgewater Township, New Jersey, a highly toxic EPASuperfund site. Pfizer has since attempted to remediate this land in order to clean and develop it for future profits and potential public uses.[229] TheSierra Club and theEdison Wetlands Association have opposed the cleanup plan, arguing that the area is subject to flooding, which could cause pollutants to leach. The EPA considers the plan the most reasonable from considerations of safety and cost-effectiveness, arguing that an alternative plan involving truckingcontaminated soil off site could expose cleanup workers. The EPA's position is backed by the environmental watchdog group CRISIS.[230]
In June 2002, a chemical explosion at the Groton plant injured 7 people and caused the evacuation of more than 100 homes in the surrounding area.[231]
The Pfizer Award, established in 1958 by Pfizer, Inc., recognizes exceptional books on the history of science. The prize includes a medal and $2,500. Eligible books must be published in English within the three years preceding the competition year (e.g., for 2024, books from 2021–2023). Edited volumes and books with more than two authors are excluded, though multi-volume works by one or two authors may qualify once all volumes are published. While books with themes in medicine or technology may be considered, the award prioritizes works focused on the history of science. The prize is not divided between multiple books.[306]
The Royal Society Pfizer Award/The Royal Society Africa Prize
The Royal Society Pfizer Award, established in 2006 with support from Pfizer Inc., recognized African research scientists contributing innovatively to biological and basic medical sciences, with a focus on capacity building in Africa. Recipients received a bronze medal, £1,000, and an £11,000 research grant for a project affiliated with an African scientific institution, such as a university or research center. The award was last presented in 2016 and has since been replaced by the Royal Society Africa Prize.[307]
The Pfizer Foundation, established in 1953, is a charitable organization dedicated to building healthier communities worldwide. It operates independently of Pfizer Inc., with its mission centered on addressing global health challenges, supporting urgent health needs, and empowering Pfizer employees to create meaningful impacts in their communities.[308][309]
The foundation also supports specific initiatives such as improving breast cancer care inRwanda, empowering women and driving progress through Integrated Health Services inBenin, addressing vaccine access for zero-dose children inNigeria, and collaborating with organizations likeDirect Relief to strengthen healthcare providers in the United States.[310]
Pfizer has received numerous accolades and recognitions worldwide for its efforts in fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment beside the pharmaceutical activities.
In the United States, Pfizer earned a 100% score from theHuman Rights Campaign (2025) on the Corporate Equality Index forLGBTQ workplace equality[311] and ranked highly in the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (2024) Corporate Inclusion Index. Pfizer was named a "Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion" in the Disability Equality Index (2024) and received awards such as Top Diverse Employer, Top Hispanic Employer, and Top Disability-Friendly Company by DiversityComm, Inc. (2024). Other recognitions include being named one of "America's Greatest Workplaces" byNewsweek (2023),[312] Clinical Trials Arena Excellence Awards 2023, inclusion in the top 10 of the "World's Most Admired Companies" by Fortune (2023), and being listed as a Top Employer for Diversity and Best Employer for Women by Forbes (2022). Pfizer was also recognized as a "Best Place to Work" byGlassdoor (2021) and a Top Employer by Science (2021) for its practices during the pandemic.[313]
Pfizer introduced PfizerForAll, a digital platform designed to streamline access to healthcare and wellness resources in the United States. The platform supports individuals with common conditions like the flu, COVID-19, and migraines, as well as those seeking adult vaccinations.[314] It integrates services such as same-day access to healthcare professionals, home delivery of prescriptions and diagnostic tests, appointment scheduling, and financial assistance for Pfizer medications. Partnering with organizations like UpScriptHealth, Alto Pharmacy, andInstacart, PfizerForAll aims to simplify tasks like prescription fulfillment and accessing savings programs. Pfizer plans to expand the platform to address a wider range of healthcare needs and enhance user experience.[315][316]
^abKenneth T. Jackson.The Encyclopedia of New York City. The New York Historical Society; Yale University Press; September 1995. P. 895.ISBN978-0-300-05536-8
^abMalhotra, Girish K. (2022).Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing: Nondestructive Creation. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 7.ISBN978-3-11-070284-2.
^Stephen J. Freedland, M.D., Murilo de Almeida Luz, M.D., Ugo De Giorgi, M.D., Ph.D., Martin Gleave, M.D., Geoffrey T. Gotto, M.D., M.P.H., Christopher M. Pieczonka, M.D., Gabriel P. Haas, M.D., Choung-Soo Kim, M.D., Miguel Ramirez-Backhaus, M.D., Antti Rannikko, M.D., Ph.D., Jamal Tarazi, M.D., M.P.A., Swetha Sridharan, M.B., B.S., Jennifer Sugg, M.S., Yiyun Tang, Ph.D., Ronald F. Tutrone, Jr., M.D., Balaji Venugopal, M.B., B.S., M.D., Arnauld Villers, M.D., Ph.D., Henry H. Woo, M.B., B.S., D.Med.Sc., Fabian Zohren, M.D., Ph.D., and Neal D. Shore, M.D. (October 18, 2023)."Improved Outcomes with Enzalutamide in Biochemically Recurrent Prostate Cancer".The New England Journal of Medicine.389 (16):1453–1465.doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2303974.PMID37851874. RetrievedMarch 30, 2025.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^"Justice Department Announces Largest Health Care Fraud Settlement in Its History".United States Department of Justice. September 9, 2009. Archived fromthe original on May 12, 2022. RetrievedMay 15, 2022.American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. and its subsidiary Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc. (hereinafter together "Pfizer") have agreed to pay $2.3 billion, the largest health care fraud settlement in the history of the Department of Justice, to resolve criminal and civil liability arising from the illegal promotion of certain pharmaceutical products, the Justice Department announced today.
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