The Pharmaceutical Industry in 2025: An Analysis of FDA Drug Approvals from the Perspective of Molecules

In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 44 new drugs, reflecting a slight decrease compared to previous years but maintaining the overall trends in pharmaceutical inno-vation. Biologics accounted for 25% of approvals, including eight monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), two antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), and one fusion protein, with cancer remaining the primary therapeutic focus. TIDES, comprising three oligonucleotides and one peptide, continued to con-solidate their presence in the market, with the three oligonucleotides featuring N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) for liver-targeted delivery. Small molecules dominate the re-mainder, with a high prevalence of N-aromatic moieties and fluorine atoms present in most of the molecules.. Peptide manufacturing and sustainability concerns, including PFAS usage, remain key challenges. Despite these advances, the high cost of innovative therapies limits access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This report provides a structural and chemical analysis of the newly approved drugs, highlighting trends in molecular design, therapeutic areas, and technolog-ical innovations shaping modern drug discovery.