Celebrating 175 Years of Changing Lives at Pfizer
June 24, 2024Pfizer was founded in 1849 by Charles Pfizer and Charles Erhart with the driving ambition to discover innovations that help people. Over the past 175 years, we have achieved that and so much more. To date, we’ve reached billions of patients with our medicines and vaccines. Throughout our history, Pfizer has transformed from a small Brooklyn, New York founded family business to a global force for good, delivering breakthroughs that have helped to change billions of patient lives. As we celebrate our 175th anniversary, we reflect on Pfizer’s history of innovation, pioneering people, and our exciting future.
Commitment to Innovation
Throughout our history, Pfizer’s innovation has driven the company to strive to meet national and global challenges. From the company’s treatments during the Civil War and the mass production of penicillin during World War II to Pfizer’s current suite of modern medicines, our innovative spirit has been felt across generations. Perhaps no recent breakthrough has been more vital than Pfizer’s role in developing the first vaccine and oral treatment in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These are just a few examples of Pfizer’s legacy of delivering impactful medicines and vaccines, demonstrating the company’s unwavering dedication to innovation. In 2023, the company invested $10.7 billion in internal R&D projects, which we believe is a testament to Pfizer’s commitment to delivering the next wave of pipeline innovation.
While we’re celebrating this major milestone in 2024, in many ways we are just getting started. For the next 175 years and beyond, Pfizer is focused on outdoing yesterday.
The People Driving Pfizer’s Mission
None of Pfizer’s numerous breakthroughs over the last 175 years would have been possible without the pioneering scientists, researchers, and colleagues who have driven the company forward every day. When Pfizer celebrated its 75th anniversary a century ago, there were just 306 employees that shared a commitment to positively impacting patients’ lives. Today, that number has grown to over 80,000 employees across 80 countries worldwide, dedicated to our purpose.
This remarkable growth parallels the expansion of Pfizer’s impact over nearly two centuries. From small beginnings to now being one of the world’s most innovative and trusted companies in healthcare, Pfizer’s colleagues make up a passionate team united by a common purpose – delivering breakthroughs that change patients’ lives.
Pfizer’s successes to date are a reflection of our colleagues drive to push scientific boundaries and a culture that fosters excellence and innovation. As we celebrate 175 years, we’re grateful for the colleagues, past and present, who helped build this legacy.
Pfizer’s Next Chapter
This year Pfizer is ignited by a renewed focus on oncology and delivering impactful medicines that change patients’ lives. We are striving to lead the fight against cancer, one of the world’s most pressing healthcare challenges. Our acquisition of Seagen – a world leader in Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) technology – and the groundbreaking work of our oncology organization is opening up new frontiers in cancer medicine. Pfizer’s “Let’s Outdo Cancer” campaign highlights our holistic approach to making cancer a thing of the past through bold science, novel combination therapies, and an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of cancer patients.
Pfizer was founded with the dream to deliver medicines and vaccines that would have positive impacts on global health. Nearly two centuries later, Pfizer has been at the forefront of medical and pharmaceutical breakthroughs that have not only helped to change patient lives, but shaped history. Looking ahead, we believe Pfizer’s expertise, technology and innovation will continue to drive the company forward as we strive to deliver the next generation of breakthroughs for the world’s most pressing health challenges.