Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) and Astellas (NASDAQOTH:ALPMY) share profit on the blockbuster prostate cancer drug Xtandi, and AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) split profit on the blockbuster lymphoma and leukemia drug Imbruvica. However, these companies took very different paths to adding these drugs to their portfolios.
Pfizer and AbbVie waited until these medicines were already top sellers before they bought their way in, while Astellas and Johnson & Johnson took the risk of licensing them while they were still in clinical trials.
