Milestones in pharmaceutical development

Since ancient times, herbs and plant extracts have been used as a proven means of alleviating pain or healing certain diseases. But only in the last 120 years have pharmaceutical researchers been able to develop ever more effective medicines specifically based on individual active ingredients. Within a short space of time, researchers have been able to find cures for several major epidemics. Yet this is only part of the success story of pharmaceutical research in the 20th century. Today, the chance of surviving a heart attack is five times greater than in 1960. Yet the challenge of developing medicines remains huge: about 20,000 currently known diseases still cannot be appropriately treated.

All information refers to the year in which the drug was first launched on the international market or received approval for its given application. Innovations are included from about 1850 onwards.

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21st century

2020s

2020

First vaccines against covid-19, at the same time the fastest-developed vaccines ever with less than one year of development time

2020

Causally effective drug for cystic fibrosis, potentially applicable to about 60% of patients (rather than a small percentage)

2020

First drug against the viral disease hepatitis D

2019

First vaccine against Ebola

2019

First cancer drug whose use is not limited to specific tumors but is dependent on the presence of a specific gene mutation (so-called "tumor-agnostic cancer drug")

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2010s

2018

New antiviral prevents cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease after stem cell transplantation

2018

Drug with novel activity for hemophilia A patients who have developed inhibitors to factor VIII drugs (an antibody)

2017

First drug for primary progressive multiple sclerosis

2017

First cancer therapies with genetically modified T cells (CAR-T cells)

2017

Shingles vaccine with very high protective efficacy

2016

First drug used to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)

2015

Drug improves survival in patients with chronic heart failure

2015

Drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors substantially lower cholesterol levels even in patients with extremely elevated cholesterol level

2014

First immunotherapy treatment that has broad application in cancer; restores immune system function

2014

Further developments in hemophilia products allow longer gap between injections

2013/14

Novel virustatics combined with other drugs offer a prognosis of over 90% for patients with Hepatitis C

2013/14

Drugs with a triple mechanism of action cure multi-resistant tuberculosis

2013

First vaccine against meningitis type B

2012

First gene therapy licensed in industrial nations; alleviates inflammation of the pancreas in patients with genetic disorder LPLD (lipoprotein lipase deficiency)

2011/12

Extended life expectancy in patients with metastatic skin cancer (melanoma) through drugs with new mechanisms of action

2000s

2007

First drug against liver cancer

2007

First antibody treatment for blindness due to age-related wet macular degeneration (AMD)

2007

Drugs with new dual mechanism of action used to treat HIV infection

2006

First vaccine against cervical cancer

2006

First drug used to treat the rare inherited disorder, Pompe disease

2005

First drug for cutting off blood supply to tumors

2004

First antibody product against bowel cancer

2004

Vaccines against diarrhea and vomiting caused by rotaviruses

2001

First drugs used to treat Fabry disease, an inherited metabolic disease

2001

First targeted treatment against chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)

2000

First antibody therapy against breast cancer metastasis

2000

Cure for multi-resistant malaria with new active ingredient combination

2000

Drug that substantially reduces the risk of contagion in children of HIV-positive mothers

20th century

1990s

1999

Cure for Hepatitis C based on a combination of drugs (an alpha interferon + a synthetic virustatic)

1999

New drug class (TNF-alpha inhibitor) targets the reduction of inflammation in rheumatism and Crohn's disease

1998

First oral drug used to treat erectile dysfunction

1998

First specific drug used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma

1996

First three-drug combination to delay the outbreak of AIDS in HIV-infected patients by years

1993

First drug to slow down specific forms of multiple sclerosis (MS)

1991

New drug substantially reduces severe nausea during chemotherapy in cancer treatment

1980s

1989

New drug replaces surgery for stomach ulcers

1988

First EPO product to overcome anemia in dialysis patients

1987

First product used to treat HIV/AIDS

1987

Program to eradicate river blindness (tropical parasitic infection) commences with donated drug; it is still ongoing today

1987

Statins used to lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease

1984

Single drug used to treat death cap fungus poisoning

1983

First (anti-)hormone therapeutic agent against the recurrence of breast cancer

1983

First calcineurin inhibitor doubles the functional life of kidney transplants

1982

First genetically-engineered medicinal product on the German and US market: human insulin

1980

Eradication of smallpox through protective vaccination

1980

First ACE inhibitor for lowering blood pressure

1980

First drug against tropical parasitic infection bilharziosis

1970s

1979

First highly-effective drug used to treat testicular cancer: a cytostatic platinum-based drug

1976

First inflammation-reducing asthma drug (derived from cortisone)

1976

First H2 blocker used to treat abdominal and duodenal ulcers

1960s

1968

Factor VIII concentrates used to treat hemophilia A (from blood donors)

1967

First drug for protecting children from Rhesus factor incompatibility

1967

Giving protective heparin injections makes many orthopedic operations possible for the first time

1964

Beta blockers used to treat heart disease and high blood pressure

1963

First vaccine against measles

1960

First immunosuppressant, azathioprine, makes organ transplants possible

1960

First "pill" for contraception

1950s

1958/59

First cytostatic drugs used to treat leukemia (chlorambucil) and lung cancer (cyclophosphamide)

1958

First glycopeptide antibiotic

1957/58

First cytostatic drugs used to treat leukemia (chlorambucil) and lung cancer (cyclophosphamide)

1956

First antidepressant (iproniazid)

1956

First sulfonylureas used to treat diabetes type 2

1955

Vaccinations against childhood polio

1940s

1948

First strong anti-inflammatory drug: nature-identical cortisonen

1945

Chloroquine used as a cure for malaria

1944

Penicillin available as a drug

ca. 1944

Influenza vaccination

1930s

1939

First anticoagulant drug (a heparin product) used to prevent thrombosis

1935

Sulfonamides used to treat bacterial infections

1920s

1927

Protective vaccination against tetanus

1923

Germanin for curing African sleeping sickness (early stage)

1923

Protective vaccination against diphtheria, a bacterial airway infection, usually fatal in children if left untreated (see also 1891)

1922

Insulin (from animals) used to treat diabetes

1910s

1910

First antibacterial product: arsphenamine (salvarsan) used to treat syphilis

19th century

1890s

1899

Acetylsalicylic acid: analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory

1891

First drug treatment for diphtheria, an infection of the respiratory tract that is usually fatal in children: diphtheria antiserum