The rise of micropharma

The drug discovery pipelines of the major pharmaceutical companies have become shockingly depleted, foreshadowing a potential crisis in the ability of Big Pharma to meet the pharmaceutical demands created by the ever-changing spectrum of human disease. However, from this major crisis is emerging a major opportunity, namely micropharma--academia-originated biotech start-up companies that are efficient, innovative, product-focused and small. In this Feature, we discuss a 'new ecosystem' for drug development, with high-risk innovation in micropharma leading to Big Pharma clinical trials; we also identify the 'five golden goals' that micropharma must strive to achieve to attain success. Although micropharma will encounter numerous hurdles on this road to success, there is room for optimism that micropharma might have the capacity to address society's growing, but unmet, need for effective therapeutics over coming years.