R&D budget: $3.03B (€2.21B)
Change over 08: +5%
Income spent on R&D: 17.4%

Big Pharma R&D budgets usually dwarf the estimated revenue expected from their experimental therapies. But Boehringer beat the spread just weeks ago when it delivered on its long-awaited approval of Pradaxa, a blood-thinner expected to go on to earn billions in annual sales revenue.

Boehringer has been active on the partnering side of the business, but it was a latecomer to the corporate venture game. Back in March the company announced plans to invest $137 million in biotech companies as it sent its scout teams around the world to find the most promising new developers on the scene.

Boehringer's top three disease focuses: Cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebrovascular diseases.