The pharmaceutical industry's current success is largely built on blockbuster drugs derived from the endeavours of a relatively small number of creative innovators, such as Paul Janssen, James Black and Gerhard Domagk (whose pioneering research led to the development of the sulfonamides). However, the pharmaceutical sector's subsequent performance hasn't been as impressive. It's sobering to remember, for example, that the development of omeprazole ['Losec'] began in the 1950s. Indeed, pharmaceutical companies currently face an innovation deficit. There are simply too few drugs coming through the pipelines of the large companies to drive the growth demanded by shareholders and maintain investment in their R&D programme.