Here’s a concise list of the leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide (large, influential firms commonly regarded as “best” because of scale, revenue, market value, R&D and pipeline strength). Figures and rankings below are drawn from publicly available 2024–mid‑2025 sources.

Top global pharma companies (short notes)

• Johnson & Johnson — diversified healthcare giant (largest by total 2024 pharma/health revenue around ~$88.8B). (statista.com, en.wikipedia.org)
• Eli Lilly — rapid growth and (as of 2024–mid‑2025) the most valuable drugmaker by market capitalization thanks to GLP‑1 diabetes/obesity drugs. (visualcapitalist.com, companiesmarketcap.com)
• Roche — major oncology and diagnostics leader, top revenue earner in Europe. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Pfizer — large, diversified portfolio (vaccines, oncology, antivirals); big 2024 revenue. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Merck & Co. (MSD) — oncology (Keytruda) and vaccines are major growth drivers. (en.wikipedia.org)
• AbbVie — strong immunology and specialty drug franchise (Skyrizi, Rinvoq). (en.wikipedia.org)
• Novo Nordisk — diabetes/obesity market leader (Ozempic/Wegovy); major market‑cap mover in 2024–2025. (reuters.com, en.wikipedia.org)
• Novartis — diversified innovative drugmaker with substantial 2024 sales. (ipharmacenter.com)
• AstraZeneca — strong oncology and cardiovascular franchises and fast growth in recent years. (ipharmacenter.com)
• Bristol Myers Squibb — large oncology and immunology portfolio. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Sanofi — major vaccines and specialty care business. (en.wikipedia.org)
• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) — vaccines and specialty medicines focus after restructuring. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Amgen — leading biotech/biologics company (bone, oncology, inflammation). (en.wikipedia.org)
• Gilead Sciences — antiviral and oncology therapeutics specialist. (onedaymd.com)
• Boehringer Ingelheim — large privately held drugmaker, strong diabetes & respiratory franchises. (reuters.com)

Notes on what “best” means here

• “Best” can mean different things: largest by revenue, highest market capitalization, strongest R&D pipeline, greatest clinical impact, or best-known safety/quality record. The list above mixes firms that lead by size, value and innovation. The revenue/market‑cap figures used are primarily from 2024–mid‑2025 public reports and industry summaries. (en.wikipedia.org, visualcapitalist.com)

If you want any specific ranking (top 10 by revenue, top 10 by market cap, best for oncology, best for vaccines, best smaller biotech innovators, or region‑specific lists), I can produce that next with up‑to‑date figures and sources.