pharma

American  

[fahr-muh] / ˈfɑr mə /

noun

1. a pharmaceutical company or pharmaceutical companies considered collectively.

   He works for pharma.

2. Usually pharmaceutical companies considered collectively, especially with reference to their political and commercial influence.

   Pharma is expanding into China, hoping to replace local remedies with manufactured drugs.

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adjective

1. of or relating to pharmaceutical companies or the pharmaceutical industry.

   Pharma reps don't sell directly to doctors.

pharma British  

/ ˈfɑːmə /

noun

1. pharmaceutical companies when considered together as an industry

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Etymology

Origin of pharma

First recorded in 1990–95; short for pharmaceutical

Example Sentences

So far this year, biotech and pharma companies have announced 365 acquisitions worth a combined $68.6 billion, according to LSEG.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

The deals are part of a run of small and midsize pharma acquisitions—a range that has become a sweet spot for companies seeking to bolster the work of their own labs or lineups.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Nvidia cited a survey ranking Lilly as the “most AI-ready pharma company,” partly due to its existing partnerships with AI-enabled drug development platforms.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

The country is continuing to enjoy a windfall from US technology and pharma companies who pay much of their global taxes in Ireland.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

"Chirality is very important in many fields of science -- from pharma to chemistry, biology, and of course, physics and photonics," Mazur said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026