Legal drugs are a big business, with over 200 companies each worth at least US$200 million, and 7 worth over $100 billion. Medicines are one of the few types of products I find advertised about equally in the US and in Hong Kong (otherwise I think of the US as mostly advertising cars and consumer goods while Hong Kong advertises more educational and financial services). Many pharma companies are defined by their unique intellectual property in specific drugs, or processes in making generic drugs, and this certainly is a sector where understanding how to value such intellectual property is an advantage.
Here is a reference list of 200 of the largest drug / pharmaceutical companies by market cap as of January 2017:
| RIC | Name | USD Market Cap (Millions) |
| JNJ | Johnson & Johnson | $314,630 |
| PFE | Pfizer Inc | $202,016 |
| ROG.S / RHHBY.PK | Roche Holding AG | $200,874 |
| NOVN.S / NVS | Novartis AG | $193,907 |
| MRK | Merck & Co Inc | $165,787 |
| SASY.PA / SNY | Sanofi SA | $106,067 |
| ABBV.K | AbbVie Inc | $101,422 |
| BMY | Bristol-Myers Squibb Co | $99,355 |
| GSK.L / GSK | GlaxoSmithKline PLC | $94,617 |
| BAYGn.DE | Bayer AG | $87,431 |
| LLY | Eli Lilly and Co | $82,487 |
| AGN | Allergan plc | $81,089 |
| NVO | Novo Nordisk A/S | $72,120 |
| AZN.L / AZN | AstraZeneca PLC | $69,277 |
| BIIB.O | Biogen Inc | $63,469 |
| ABT | Abbott Laboratories | $57,494 |
| SHPG.O / SHP.L | Shire PLC | $53,454 |
| TEVA.K | Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd | $38,357 |
| CSL.AX | CSL Ltd | $33,386 |
| 4502.T | Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $32,735 |
| 4503.T | Astellas Pharma Inc | $29,951 |
| ALXN.O | Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc | $27,500 |
| ZTS | Zoetis Inc | $26,721 |
| 4578.T | Otsuka Holdings Co Ltd | $24,335 |
| MYL.O | Mylan NV | $21,206 |
| 4523.T / ESALY.PK | Eisai Co Ltd | $17,251 |
| 4507.T | Shionogi & Co Ltd | $16,840 |
| 4519.T | Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $16,172 |
| 600276.SS | Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co Ltd | $15,663 |
| BMRN.O | Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc | $14,763 |
| 4568.T | Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd | $14,524 |
| MRCG.DE | Merck KGaA | $13,759 |
| 4528.T | Ono Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $12,969 |
| 600518.SS | Kangmei Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $12,888 |
| GRLS.MC | Grifols SA | $12,687 |
| UCB.BR | UCB SA | $12,657 |
| PRGO.K | Perrigo Company PLC | $12,402 |
| 4508.T | Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp | $11,087 |
| 2196.HK | Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd | $8,086 |
| 4151.T | Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co Ltd | $8,023 |
| 4581.T | Taisho Pharmaceutical Holdings Co Ltd | $7,489 |
| JAZZ.O | Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC | $6,937 |
| 4506.T | Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd | $6,851 |
| 600297.SS | China Grand Automotive Services Co Ltd | $6,822 |
| 600535.SS | Tasly Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd | $6,503 |
| ORNBV.HE | Orion Oyj | $6,440 |
| 1093.HK | CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd | $6,346 |
| 600085.SS | Beijing Tongrentang Co Ltd | $6,243 |
| IPN.PA | Ipsen SA | $6,038 |
| RECI.MI | Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica SpA | $5,974 |
| HIK.L | Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC | $5,592 |
| MNK | Mallinckrodt Plc | $5,476 |
| 0874.HK | Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical Holdings Co Ltd | $5,407 |
| VRX | Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc | $5,310 |
| 1177.HK | Sino Biopharmaceutical Ltd | $5,238 |
| OPK.O | OPKO Health Inc | $5,168 |
| 4536.T | Santen Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $4,973 |
| 4530.T | Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co Inc | $4,769 |
| TARO.K | Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd | $4,440 |
| 600436.SS | Zhangzhou Pientzehuang Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $4,007 |
| ENDP.O | Endo International PLC | $3,894 |
| 0867.HK | China Medical System Holdings Ltd | $3,849 |
| 600566.SS | Hubei Jumpcan Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $3,736 |
| 600079.SS | Humanwell Healthcare Group Co Ltd | $3,722 |
| 4516.T | Nippon Shinyaku Co Ltd | $3,466 |
| CTLT.K | Catalent Inc | $3,368 |
| 600521.SS | Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $3,359 |
| STAGn.DE | Stada Arzneimittel AG | $3,263 |
| 1513.HK | Livzon Pharmaceutical Group Inc | $3,254 |
| 600664.SS | Harbin Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd | $3,163 |
| 600466.SS | Sichuan Languang Development Co Ltd | $3,020 |
| 600666.SS | Aurora Optoelectronics Co Ltd | $3,010 |
| 600056.SS | China Meheco Co Ltd | $2,949 |
| 600161.SS | Beijing Tiantan Biological Products Corp Ltd | $2,946 |
| BTG.L | BTG PLC | $2,820 |
| 600614.SS | Shanghai Dingli Technology Development Group Co Ltd | $2,810 |
| 600201.SS | Jinyu Bio-Technology Co Ltd | $2,783 |
| AKRX.O | Akorn Inc | $2,764 |
| ALM.MC | Almirall SA | $2,748 |
| HZNP.O | Horizon Pharma PLC | $2,724 |
| 600572.SS | Zhejiang CONBA Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $2,680 |
| 0460.HK | Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd | $2,654 |
| INDV.L | Indivior PLC | $2,622 |
| 4521.T | Kaken Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $2,572 |
| 603567.SS | Heilongjiang ZBD Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $2,463 |
| 1666.HK | Tong Ren Tang Technologies Co Ltd | $2,352 |
| 600062.SS | China Resources Double-Crane Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $2,336 |
| MDCO.O | Medicines Co | $2,326 |
| 600252.SS | Guangxi Wuzhou Zhongheng Group Co Ltd | $2,309 |
| 600380.SS | Joincare Pharmaceutical Group Industry Co Ltd | $2,286 |
| COPN.S | Cosmo Pharmaceuticals NV | $2,236 |
| 4555.T | Sawai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $2,053 |
| 0570.HK | China Traditional Chinese Medicine Holdings Co Ltd | $2,000 |
| 2186.HK | Luye Pharma Group Ltd | $1,953 |
| 4540.T | Tsumura & Co | $1,952 |
| 4565.T | Sosei Group Corp | $1,947 |
| ABCA.L | Abcam PLC | $1,935 |
| 600594.SS | Guizhou Yibai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,913 |
| 600267.SS | Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,842 |
| BOIR.PA | Boiron SA | $1,831 |
| 600216.SS | Zhejiang Medicine Co Ltd | $1,771 |
| TBPH.O | Theravance Biopharma Inc | $1,733 |
| CBM | Cambrex Corp | $1,717 |
| 603368.SS | Guangxi Liuzhou Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,677 |
| TIAN.SI | Tianjin Zhongxin Pharmaceutical Group Corp Ltd | $1,634 |
| 4569.T | Kyorin Holdings Inc | $1,609 |
| 600422.SS | KPC Pharmaceuticals Inc | $1,546 |
| 600557.SS | Jiangsu Kanion Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,514 |
| MYX.AX | Mayne Pharma Group Ltd | $1,470 |
| 4534.T | Mochida Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,457 |
| HPAR.SI | Haw Par Corporation Ltd | $1,398 |
| PCRX.O | Pacira Pharmaceuticals Inc | $1,375 |
| 600420.SS | Shanghai Shyndec Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,356 |
| 4547.T | Kissei Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,355 |
| SUPN.O | Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc | $1,352 |
| 600750.SS | Jiangzhong Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,341 |
| 600195.SS | China Animal Husbandry Industry Co Ltd | $1,325 |
| 0940.HK | China Animal Healthcare Ltd | $1,318 |
| DEPO.O | Depomed Inc | $1,312 |
| 600993.SS | Mayinglong Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd | $1,267 |
| TXMD.K | TherapeuticsMD Inc | $1,262 |
| EGRX.O | Eagle Pharmaceuticals Inc | $1,237 |
| INVA.O | Innoviva Inc | $1,236 |
| PAHC.O | Phibro Animal Health Corp | $1,166 |
| AMAG.O | AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc | $1,161 |
| VEC.L | Vectura Group PLC | $1,147 |
| 603669.SS | Lionco Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd | $1,133 |
| 600351.SS | Yabao Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd | $1,128 |
| 8138.HK | Beijing Tong Ren Tang Chinese Medicine Co Ltd | $1,118 |
| 3933.HK | United Laboratories International Holdings Ltd | $1,118 |
| 603168.SS | Zhejiang Shapuaisi Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,098 |
| 600285.SS | Henan Lingrui Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $1,096 |
| AAAP.O | Advanced Accelerator Applications SA | $1,075 |
| 600613.SS | Shanghai Shenqi Pharmaceutical Investment Management Co Ltd | $1,073 |
| RGEN.O | Repligen Corp | $1,054 |
| IPXL.O | Impax Laboratories Inc | $1,049 |
| AIMT.O | Aimmune Therapeutics Inc | $1,030 |
| FAE.MC | Faes Farma SA | $955 |
| 2877.HK | China Shineway Pharmaceutical Group Ltd | $945 |
| 2005.HK | SSY Group Ltd | $899 |
| LCI | Lannett Company Inc | $873 |
| 4541.T | Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $869 |
| 600624.SS | Shanghai Fudan Forward S&T Co Ltd | $860 |
| AMPH.O | Amphastar Pharmaceuticals Inc | $851 |
| 8058.HK | Shandong Luoxin Pharmacy Group Co Ltd | $849 |
| 4548.T | Seikagaku Corp | $843 |
| 600668.SS | Zhejiang Jianfeng Group Co Ltd | $835 |
| 4559.T | Zeria Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $821 |
| CORT.O | Corcept Therapeutics Inc | $817 |
| 600479.SS | ZhuZhou QianJin Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $798 |
| 4552.T | JCR Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd | $792 |
| 1349.HK | Shanghai Fudan-Zhangjiang Bio-Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $769 |
| FAGRO.BR | Fagron NV | $744 |
| ANIK.O | Anika Therapeutics Inc | $733 |
| FOLD.O | Amicus Therapeutics Inc | $730 |
| CLCD.O | CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc | $697 |
| 4553.T | Towa Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $674 |
| 0719.HK | Shandong Xinhua Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $663 |
| ACET.O | Aceto Corp | $657 |
| ROVI.MC | Laboratorios Farmaceuticos ROVI SA | $653 |
| 4551.T | Torii Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $638 |
| BIOG.DE | Biotest AG | $631 |
| ABS.PA | AB Science SA | $621 |
| 4549.T | Eiken Chemical Co Ltd | $573 |
| DESN.S | Dottikon Es Holding AG | $555 |
| SCLN.O | SciClone Pharmaceuticals Inc | $554 |
| 0587.HK | Hua Han Health Industry Holdings Ltd | $492 |
| 1681.HK | Consun Pharmaceutical Group Ltd | $484 |
| 2348.HK | Dawnrays Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd | $478 |
| COLL.O | Collegium Pharmaceutical Inc | $459 |
| 4514.T | ASKA Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $447 |
| 0512.HK | China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings Ltd | $438 |
| APH.V | Aphria Inc | $430 |
| 3001.T | Katakura Industries Co Ltd | $412 |
| EAH.L | ECO Animal Health Group PLC | $402 |
| TLGT.O | Teligent Inc | $384 |
| AQXP.O | Aquinox Pharmaceuticals Inc | $379 |
| CCXI.O | ChemoCentryx Inc | $374 |
| 4554.T | Fuji Pharma Co Ltd | $361 |
| SANN.S | Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG | $338 |
| SVA.O | Sinovac Biotech Ltd | $336 |
| RMTI.O | Rockwell Medical Inc | $332 |
| 6896.HK | Golden Throat Holdings Group Co Ltd | $310 |
| MITRA.BR | Mithra Pharmaceuticals SA | $306 |
| 4517.T | Biofermin Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $304 |
| ARZ.TO | Aralez Pharmaceuticals Inc | $297 |
| PETX.O | Aratana Therapeutics Inc | $295 |
| CUV.AX | Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd | $259 |
| 1061.HK | Essex Bio-Technology Ltd | $253 |
| 4550.T | Nissui Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $249 |
| 2309.T | CMIC Holdings Co Ltd | $246 |
| NCOX.PA | Nicox SA | $243 |
| 4577.T | Daito Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $242 |
| MT.V | Mettrum Health Corp | $229 |
| 4538.T | Fuso Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd | $225 |
| 4574.T | Taiko Pharmaceutical Co Ltd | $221 |
| 0329.HK | Dragonite International Ltd | $220 |
| 4978.T | ReproCell Inc | $214 |
| RJFE.MC | Laboratorio Reig Jofre SA | $212 |
| ASMB.O | Assembly Biosciences Inc | $210 |
| OGI.V | OrganiGram Holdings Inc | $207 |
| ARGS.O | Argos Therapeutics Inc | $204 |
A