Biopharmaceutical research companies are conducting or have conducted more than 3,400 clinical trials of new medicines in collaboration with the state’s university medical schools, clinical research centers and hospitals (1999 to present).

Of the more than 3,400 clinical trials, 1,514 target the nation’s six most debilitating chronic diseases— asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, mental illnesses and stroke.

"Innovation and research are two important components to job creation. Alabama is a leader in medical research, and that supports economic development in our state while also improving lives. The biosciences industry is also a prime area for growth in Accelerate Alabama, our strategic plan for long-term economic development. In 2011, biopharmaceutical research companies in Alabama generated approximately $3.2 billion in economic activity and supported nearly 17,000 jobs." --Alabama Governor Robert Bentley