ABSTRACT
At the beginning of this new millennium, the pharmaceutical industry is facing many
challenges in relation to the rapid and endless growth and aging of the world
population, and a growing gap between health care systems in industrialized and
developing countries. While higher and higher quality standards are required by authorities and consumers, andmassive low-cost supply of drugs is strongly demanded
by developing countries, it appears more andmore difficult to introduce innovative new
drugs and to improve the therapeutic efficacy against numerous pathologies. Further-
more, the industry must also make a continuous effort to move to environmentally
friendly processes.
