Innovation will continue to drive the pharma and biotech sectors in 2015 as forecasts point to another prosperous year, according to EP Vantage’s latest report, Pharma & Biotech 2015 Preview. EP Vantage is the editorial arm of global market intelligence firm Evaluate.

Some of the report’s key findings include:

• A dozen products due to be launched next year are forecast to achieve blockbuster sales by 2020
• Drugs treating high cholesterol and heart failure will dominate the field with a combined 2020 sales forecast of $8 billion
• Patent expiries will have minimal impact on the top line as 2015 sales will grow close to four times that of patent losses
• Financing climate appears friendly and deals will continue at a steady pace but M&A activity unlikely to match the frenzy of 2014.

“Cancer also will have a huge year as the promise of immuno-oncology therapies are further tested,” said Amy Brown, EP Vantage reporter and report author. “The lack of any substantial patent expiries will be another big boost but with payers looking to restrain drug prices, marketed products may face heightened commercialization risks. Nonetheless, if 2015 lives up to today’s heady expectations, it will be a remarkable year that the sector will long remember.”