Over the past decade, the total number of scientific publications in drug discovery in Saudi Arabia has shown significant fluctuations. From 2013 to 2021, the research output experienced substantial growth, peaking notably in 2021. This period saw standout year-on-year increases such as 42.99% in 2020 and 50.72% in 2021. However, 2022 experienced a notable decline of 23.64%, before achieving a moderate 6.29% growth in 2023, which represented 119.62 publications.
Looking ahead, forecasted data from 2024 to 2028 predicts a steady growth trajectory, with an expected 2028 value of 154.47 publications. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the upcoming five years is projected at 4.05%, indicating more stable yet slower growth compared to the historical decade average.
Future trends to watch for include:
- The potential impact of new governmental policies and initiatives aimed at promoting scientific research and development.
- Increased international collaborations and investments in the pharmaceutical sector.
- The effect of emerging technologies like AI and machine learning in accelerating drug discovery research outputs.
