Bayer AG, the German pharmaceutical and chemical company, plans to invest $1 billion in drug research and development in the United States this year, according to Sebastian Guth, the

president of Bayer's pharmaceuticals business in the Americas. This investment is part of the company's goal to double its sales in the United States by the end of the decade.

In addition to the investment, Bayer has increased the number of employees working on marketing for its pharmaceutical business in the United States by around 50% over the last three years. The company plans to expand on this by another 75% by 2030.

Guth emphasized the importance of focusing on the United States market, stating that "it's time for us to double down on the U.S." Bayer plans to sell the drugs it is developing in the United States rather than partnering with US companies, as it has in the past.

The company is looking to build up its portfolio of new drugs to improve its share prices, which have been impacted by concerns over litigation surrounding the weedkiller Roundup and a lack of trust in the company's leadership. Last month, Bayer named former Roche executive Bill Anderson as its new CEO, replacing Werner Baumann, who had previously announced that he would hold on until the end of his current term in April 2024.

Guth said he expects peak sales of €12 billion from cancer drug Nubeqa, kidney medication Kerendia, and two of the company's top pipeline assets, experimental stroke drug asundexian and experimental women's health drug elinzanetant. He expects more than half of those sales to come from the United States.

With the investment in drug research and development, along with the increase in marketing employees and the focus on the United States market, Bayer hopes to improve its business in the country and achieve its sales goals. Photo by Daniel Case, Wikimedia commons.