PwC has been named as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Life Sciences R&D Strategic Consulting Services 2026 Vendor Assessment (May 2026, IDC #US53009826).
As per the above report, ‘The life sciences industry is finding itself at a pivotal inflection point, one defined not merely by the continued proliferation of GenAI but by the rapid emergence of agentic AI and the mounting pressure to translate digital investments into measurable enterprise value.’
Commenting on PwC, the IDC MarketScape report states, ‘For quarter of a century, PwC has been driving business transformation, designing portfolio strategy, and fueling innovation, by leveraging its advisory services and digital assets. PwC's multidisciplinary team of life sciences industry strategists, dealmakers, operators, technologists, and tax consultants provides expertise in clinical trial execution that spans the health continuum, across sites and sponsors. In addition, its expertise in business model innovation, R&D operating model design, scenario planning and forecasting, process optimization, and regulatory compliance, as well as its cloud, digital, and AI/ML capabilities, help further differentiate PwC.’
On PwC’s strengths, the IDC MarketScape states, “PwC's core strength lies in the clinical trials space. The five key areas in which PwC supports its customers with its strategic consulting offering are clinical operations, portfolio decision-making, clinical development, biostatistics, and medical affairs.”
It goes on to say, ‘Consider PwC when seeking a strategic consulting partner with deep expertise in M&A strategy, R&D portfolio management, clinical trial design and process optimization, and decentralized trials.’
“We are proud to be named a Leader in this IDC MarketScape. As pharmaceutical companies navigate one of the most consequential shifts in drug development — the integration of AI across the full R&D lifecycle — they need more than technology. They need advisors who understand the strategy, the operations, and the regulatory landscape impacting scientific innovation. We believe our practitioners bring that depth across portfolio strategy, clinical trials, R&D functions and finance, helping clients accelerate timelines, reduce risk and improve returns at every stage. To PwC, this recognition reflects the trust our clients place in us to build the R&D organizations of the future and help bring the next generation of medicines to patients”
“R&D transformation is moving at a pace the industry hasn't seen in decades, and pharma is outpacing other sectors in re-architecting how decisions, data, and work flow across the R&D enterprise. The mandate is clear: as new modalities emerge faster, development operations must run on a leaner model by advancing more candidates through human trials at the same or lower cost. I am proud of the 100+ PLS R&D consultants on our team who have worked incredibly hard to accelerate that shift by connecting portfolio strategy, clinical development, trial execution, and AI-enabled operating models into a single decision fabric so clients move from scientific promise to patient benefit faster and at lower cost. This recognition reflects the depth of our R&D capabilities and the measurable impact our teams are delivering for clients.”
About IDC MarketScape
IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of technology and service suppliers in a given market. The research utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of technology suppliers can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
Contact us
