Pharmaceutical industry in Sweden- Statistics & Facts

The value of Sweden’s pharmaceutical market was reported to be around 4.6 billion euros in 2020. That would make it the 14th by size in Europe (including Russia and Turkey). However, Sweden’s contribution to pharmaceutical research and development by spending was ranked ninth among European countries in the same year, totaling some 1.1 billion euros. It shows the country’s disproportionate dedication to research and innovation. In relation to its size, Sweden is generally regarded as a big ‘life science nation’.

The company landscape

Undoubtedly, the best-known Swedish pharmaceutical company is AstraZeneca, lately in focus for the manufacture of the most ordered COVID-19 vaccine worldwide. Today the company is, in fact, a British-Swedish global company, with headquarters at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. It was formed in 1999 with the merger of Swedish company Astra AB and the British Zeneca Group. The company is focused on the areas of oncology, cardiovascular, and respiratory, but has now also made a huge step into the vaccination market. Further examples for Sweden-based biopharmaceutical companies are Recipharm, Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi), or Karo Pharma. When it comes to pharmaceutical sales in Sweden, the industry is dominated by well-known players like Merck & Co. (MSD), Novartis, and Johnson & Johnson. Pharmaceutical companies employ around 11 thousand people in Sweden.

Pharmaceutical trade

The Swedish pharmaceutical industry is a net exporter, exporting almost twice the value of pharmaceutical products compared to imports. The net exporting value in 2021 stood at some 48 billion SEK, around 4.7 billion euros. Germany, Demark, and the U.S. are Sweden’s most important countries of origin for imports, while the U.S., China, and Germany are the most important export destinations.

New products and approvals

For the pharmaceutical industry it is extremely important to have many products in the development pipeline. The clinical trial landscape in Sweden is dominated by commercial sponsors, responsible for around two thirds of trials over the last years. As in many other countries, research on cancer and cardiovascular diseases are the focus areas. These two areas alone make up more than half of clinical trials in Sweden.

This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.

Pharmaceutical sales in Sweden in 2021: 50.2 bn SEK

Pharmaceutical sales in Sweden in 2021 through subsidized prescriptions: 34.9 bn SEK

Sweden's pharmaceutical net export in 2021: 48.2 bn SEK

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Pharmaceutical market value in selected European countries in 2020 (in million euros)

Industry & Market

Market value of pharmaceutical industry by European country 2020

Leading 10 pharmaceutical companies in Sweden by sales in 2020 (in 1,000 SEK)

Industry & Market

Top pharmaceutical companies in Sweden 2020, by sales

Net sales of Recipharm from 2009 to 2021 (in million SEK)

Industry & Market

Net sales of Recipharm 2009-2021

Recommended statistics

European context

Basic Statistic Members of EFPIA's pharmaceutical production value 1990-2021
Members of EFPIA's pharmaceutical production value 1990-2021
Pharmaceutical production value of EFPIA members from 1990 to 2021 (in million euros)
Premium Statistic Market value of pharmaceutical industry by European country 2020
Market value of pharmaceutical industry by European country 2020
Pharmaceutical market value in selected European countries in 2020 (in million euros)
Premium Statistic Research and development in European pharmaceutical industry by country 2020
Research and development in European pharmaceutical industry by country 2020
Pharmaceutical research and development spending in selected European countries in 2020 (in million euros)
Premium Statistic Production in European pharmaceutical industry by country 2020
Production in European pharmaceutical industry by country 2020
Pharmaceutical production in selected European countries in 2020 (in million euros)
Basic Statistic Employment in European pharmaceutical industry by country 2020
Employment in European pharmaceutical industry by country 2020
Pharmaceutical employment in selected European countries in 2020

Sales/revenue

Basic Statistic Sales value of pharmaceuticals in Sweden 2013-2021
Sales value of pharmaceuticals in Sweden 2013-2021
Sales value of pharmaceuticals in Sweden from 2013 to 2021 (in million SEK)
Basic Statistic Top pharmaceutical companies in Sweden 2020, by sales
Top pharmaceutical companies in Sweden 2020, by sales
Leading 10 pharmaceutical companies in Sweden by sales in 2020 (in 1,000 SEK)
Basic Statistic Revenue of pharmaceuticals in Sweden by type 2021
Revenue of pharmaceuticals in Sweden by type 2021
Revenue of pharmaceuticals in Sweden in 2021, by type of pharmaceutical (in billion SEK)
Basic Statistic Per capita expenditure on subsidized pharmaceuticals in Sweden 2010-2021
Per capita expenditure on subsidized pharmaceuticals in Sweden 2010-2021
Per capita expenditure on subsidized pharmaceuticals in Sweden from 2010 to 2021 (in SEK)
Basic Statistic Sales value of generic pharmaceuticals in Sweden 2013-2021
Sales value of generic pharmaceuticals in Sweden 2013-2021
Sales value of generic pharmaceuticals in Sweden from 2013 to 2021 (in million SEK)
Basic Statistic Sales share of generic pharmaceuticals in Sweden 2008-2021
Sales share of generic pharmaceuticals in Sweden 2008-2021
Sales share of generic pharmaceuticals in Sweden from 2008 to 2021

Trade

Basic Statistic Import value of pharmaceuticals into Sweden 2012-2021
Import value of pharmaceuticals into Sweden 2012-2021
Value of pharmaceuticals imported into Sweden from 2012 to 2021 (in billion SEK)
Basic Statistic Export value of pharmaceuticals from Sweden 2012-2021
Export value of pharmaceuticals from Sweden 2012-2021
Value of pharmaceutical export from Sweden from 2012 to 2021 (in billion SEK)
Basic Statistic Net export value of pharmaceuticals from Sweden 2012-2021
Net export value of pharmaceuticals from Sweden 2012-2021
Net export value of pharmaceuticals from Sweden from 2012 to 2021 (in billion SEK)
Basic Statistic Import share of pharmaceuticals into Sweden 2021, by country
Import share of pharmaceuticals into Sweden 2021, by country
Import share of pharmaceuticals into Sweden in 2021, by country
Basic Statistic Export share of pharmaceuticals from Sweden 2021, by country
Export share of pharmaceuticals from Sweden 2021, by country
Export share of pharmaceuticals from Sweden in 2021, by country

New products and R&D

Premium Statistic Number of applications for clinical trials in Sweden 2014-2021, by sponsor
Number of applications for clinical trials in Sweden 2014-2021, by sponsor
Number of applications for clinical trials in Sweden from 2014 to 2021, by sponsor
Basic Statistic Number of biotechnology patents in Sweden 2011-2019
Number of biotechnology patents in Sweden 2011-2019
Number of patents in the biotechnology sector in Sweden from 2011 to 2019
Basic Statistic Number of new pharmaceuticals available in Sweden 2020
Number of new pharmaceuticals available in Sweden 2020
Number of new pharmaceuticals available in Sweden as of December 2020

Key players

Premium Statistic AstraZeneca's revenue 2006-2022
AstraZeneca's revenue 2006-2022
AstraZeneca's revenue from 2006 to 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)
Premium Statistic AstraZeneca's top products based on revenue 2021-2022
AstraZeneca's top products based on revenue 2021-2022
Top products of AstraZeneca based on revenue in 2021 and 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)
Basic Statistic Annual revenue of Sobi 2009-2021
Annual revenue of Sobi 2009-2021
Annual revenue of Sobi from 2009 to 2021 (in million SEK)
Basic Statistic Annual profit/loss of Sobi 2009-2021
Annual profit/loss of Sobi 2009-2021
Annual profit/loss of Sobi from 2009 to 2021 (in million SEK)
Basic Statistic Net sales of Recipharm 2009-2021
Net sales of Recipharm 2009-2021
Net sales of Recipharm from 2009 to 2021 (in million SEK)
Basic Statistic Annual profit of Recipharm 2009-2020
Annual profit of Recipharm 2009-2020
Annual net profit of Recipharm from 2009 to 2020 (in million SEK)

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