--- description: Presenting the inaugural TIME100 Companies: Industry Leaders list of the world's most influential health and life science businesses of the year. title: The 10 Most Influential Health and Life Science Companies of 2026 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfdbc4d2410a6c99/69e8ef9d50e0cc07f3ceac57/HealthandLIfeSciences.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [TIME100 Companies 2026](/tag/time100-companies-2026/) ## TIME100 Companies 2026 Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The 10 Most Influential Health and Life Science Companies of 2026 by [TIME Contributors](/author/time-contributors/) ## TIME Contributors Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 27, 2026 12:25 PM CUT  Illustrations by Zhenia Vasiliev by [TIME Contributors](/author/time-contributors/) ## TIME Contributors Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Apr 27, 2026 12:25 PM CUT This year, TIME editors launch the **TIME100 Companies: Industry Leaders** lists, an expansion of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies issue that dives deeper into 20 sectors to look at the companies shaping their industries. These are the 10 most influential companies in health and life sciences of 2026. ## Novo Nordisk _Weight-loss pill pioneer_ GLP-1 weight-loss drugs work. The problem has been getting people to take them consistently—weekly self-injections and high costs have kept millions from starting or staying on treatment. Novo Nordisk offered a solution. In 2025, the FDA approved a daily pill version of Wegovy, making it the first oral GLP-1 medication for weight loss. The pill is cheaper to manufacture and distribute than injections, and under an agreement between pharmaceutical companies and the White House, a month's supply of the initial dose will cost $149 for people on federal insurance plans like Medicare and Medicaid, and for those paying out of pocket. The FDA also approved Eli Lilly's competing pill, Foundayo, in April, which could transform the medications from hard-to-access injectables into a more standard treatment for obesity worldwide. _—Alice Park_ ## Genentech _Five decades of firsts_ Founded in 1976, Genentech helped build modern biotechnology, with breakthroughs that include synthetic insulin and the first personalized medicine for cancer. Nearly 50 years later, it is still producing consequential new treatments. In March 2025, the FDA approved TNKase for acute ischemic stroke, the first new stroke medicine cleared in nearly 30 years. Unlike the older standard of care, which requires a 60-minute infusion, TNKase can be administered in a single five-second bolus. Genentech is also using AI to hunt for new medicines: in October, it published work on a deep-learning model called GNEprop, developed with collaborators including Nvidia and Mila, to identify potential new antibiotics. Genentech CEO Ashley Magargee credits cross-functional teams with accelerating research and early development. “We've really seen a lot of benefits to bringing computational skill sets closer together with biologists, with chemists, and with engineers,” she says. _—Gabriela Riccardi_ ## Sprout Pharmaceuticals _A long fight for women's sexual health_ In 2015, Sprout won FDA approval for Addyi, the first drug to treat low sexual desire in women—but only for premenopausal women. It took another decade and an additional review of the same original data before the agency expanded approval in December 2025 to include postmenopausal women under 65\. The condition, known as hypoactive sexual desire disorder, is the most common form of female sexual dysfunction, affecting an estimated 10% of women—yet until now there was no FDA-approved treatment for those past menopause. Sprout CEO Cindy Eckert, who has long framed Addyi's regulatory journey as a double standard in women's health, notes that the FDA took six years to approve Addyi versus six months for Viagra. The latest approval, she says, "signifies not only scientific recognition of a medical condition that affects millions of women that had been previously discussed only with stigma, not science, but also a cultural recognition that we value sexual health as part of women's overall wellness, their longevity, and their well-being." _—Alice Park_ ## Tempus _Making medicine more precise_ The Human Genome Project promised a future of precision medicine, where genomic testing and DNA analysis would tailor treatments to individual patients—but two decades on, the approach has yet to reach most diseases. Eric Lefkofsky, best known as the billionaire co-founder of Groupon, noticed the alarming disconnect between data and available technology after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. Frustrated by how little data permeated her care, Lefkofsky launched Tempus to apply technology and artificial intelligence to cancer treatment. "We were focused on how you could make genomic tests and cancer more intelligent by connecting them to clinical data," Lefkofsky says. The company’s flagship xT test—an FDA-approved, 648-gene tumor-profiling assay—combines genomic results with clinical data to help oncologists choose targeted therapies and match patients to trials. Tempus has since expanded beyond cancer into cardiology, radiology, and neuropsychiatry. A 2025 partnership with [biotech leader Illumina](https://www.tempus.com/news/illumina-and-tempus-partner-to-drive-the-future-of-precision-medicine-through-genomic-ai-innovation/ "undefined") seeks to standardize genomic profiling and molecular testing across all major diseases, while the acquisition of Ambry Genetics brings hereditary cancer screening in-house and extends Tempus’ genetic testing into pediatrics, rare diseases, reproductive health, and inherited cardiac conditions. Tempus has also partnered with [AstraZeneca and Pathos AI](https://www.tempus.com/news/tempus-signs-expanded-strategic-agreements-with-astrazeneca-and-pathos-to-develop-the-largest-multimodal-foundation-model-in-oncology/ "undefined") with hopes to build the largest multimodal foundation model for oncology designed to identify new cancer drug targets and accelerate therapeutic development. —_Gabriela Riccardi_ ## Beam Therapeutics _Reimagining genetic treatments_ Traditional CRISPR editing works by cutting and reassembling DNA—effective but imprecise, with the risk of unintended mutations. Beam Therapeutics' base editing technology takes a different approach: it chemically converts one DNA letter to another without ever breaking the strand. “We make a really precise change, and literally change single letters of DNA: A to a G or C to a T,” says CEO John Evans. Base editing got its most dramatic validation last year when KJ Muldoon, a baby born with a rare, life-threatening metabolic disorder, became the first person ever to receive a personalized gene-editing therapy. Beam's [sickle cell program](https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2504835?query=featured%5Fhome "undefined") has shown sustained improvements in patients for up to 20 months, and its most advanced [in-vivo program](https://beamtx.com/pipeline%5Fcandidates/beam-302/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com "undefined"), [BEAM-302](https://beamtx.com/pipeline%5Fcandidates/beam-302/?utm%5Fsource=chatgpt.com "undefined"), which targets a genetic lung and liver condition known as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, has secured FDA orphan-drug status and an accelerated approval pathway. “I fully believe that gene editing is going to be one of the top three technologies of the century, probably along with AI and hopefully nuclear fusion,” says Evans. —_Chris Stokel-Walker_ ## Biolinq _Needle-free blood monitoring_ Tracking blood sugar has long meant frequent painful needle pricks. Biolinq aims to change that. In September 2025, the San Diego—based company won FDA de novo classification for [Shine](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/09/25/3156200/0/en/Biolinq-Shine-Granted-De-Novo-Classification-by-U-S-FDA-for-the-First-Fully-Autonomous-Needle-Free-Glucose-Sensor.html "undefined"), a coin-sized patch worn on the forearm that reads glucose levels through a needle-free intradermal sensor array sitting just beneath the skin’s surface. The device features an integrated LED display that gives real-time feedback and can function with or without a smartphone, an attempt to simplify monitoring for millions of patients. The approval capped a 14-year development effort, and CEO Rich Yang says Biolinq has been “inundated with commercial demand,” declining to name names but hinting at interest from big pharma firms developing obesity and diabetes therapies (read: GLP-1s). The company plans a limited U.S. rollout in 2026 to gather real-world data and expand manufacturing capacity. As continuous monitoring becomes widely adopted, glucose tracking could expand beyond diabetes care into preventive medicine and everyday metabolic health management. —_Chris Stokel-Walker_ ## Epic Systems _Putting medical records to work_ Epic is the largest electronic health record company in the U.S., and American health systems using its software care for more than 280 million people. Now it's using AI to speed up everything from clinical decisions to billing. The privately held firm, whose sprawling Wisconsin campus features[ treehouses and wizard-themed conference rooms](https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/01/inside-epic-systems-mythical-campus-a-world-away-from-wall-street-.html "undefined"), offers a trio of AI assistants: Art for clinicians, Emmie for patients, and Penny for administration. Its code-free [Agent Factory](https://hitconsultant.net/2026/03/10/epic-ai-himss-2026-agent-factory-curiosity-foundation-models/ "undefined") lets users build and deploy AI agents inside Epic's software. The results are already tangible. At Cincinnati's Christ Hospital, an AI tool that extracts incidental findings from radiology reports helped achieve a [69% early-stage lung cancer detection rate](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/ehrs/tons-of-potential-how-epics-ai-detects-early-stage-cancer/ "undefined"), compared with a national average of 46%. Epic is also developing medical foundation models trained on its Cosmos database of nearly 300 million anonymized patient records. "The promise of the \[electronic health record\] isn't just a gathering space for information," says Jackie Gerhart, a physician and Epic's chief medical officer. "It really is meant to be a predictive space." —_Gabriela Riccardi_ ## HistoSonics _Destroying tumors with sound_ HistoSonics, a University of Michigan spin-out, has pioneered a way to destroy liver tumors without surgery, radiation, or needles. The company’s Edison Histotripsy System uses focused ultrasound pulses to target and liquefy tumors while sparing the surrounding tissue. The FDA cleared the Edison system in October 2023\. Since then, it has been introduced at a handful of sites within the U.K.'s National Health Service, and U.S. insurers including Elevance Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield have said the treatment would be [covered](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251022130560/en/HistoSonics-Expands-Insurance-Coverage-for-Non-Invasive-Liver-Tumor-Treatment-to-45.4-Million-Elevance-Health-Members "undefined") under certain plans. Valued at around $2.25 billion, HistoSonics raised $250 million [in October](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251016119331/en/HistoSonics-Announces-Oversubscribed-%24250-Million-Growth-Financing "undefined") to expand internationally and run [clinical trials](https://histosonics.com/resources/evidence/ "undefined") on additional cancer types. Co-founder [Zhen Xu](https://time.com/collections/time100-health-2026/7362509/zhen-xu/ "undefined"), a biomedical engineer at the University of Michigan, says that in some patients, treatment with Edison appears to stimulate an immune response that shrinks tumors elsewhere in the body. Early research also suggests the technique might be effective for other conditions, including stroke and epilepsy. “It’s a technology platform that can be used for a number of applications beyond just cancer,” Xu says. About 3,000 patients worldwide have been treated with the Edison system to date. —_Charlotte Hu_ ## Maven Clinic _Virtual health care for all women_ When Maven launched in 2014 to provide digital health care services for women’s health, founder Kate Ryder didn’t realize how ahead of its time the company was. Consumers didn’t understand digital health yet, so she built her early client base from employers who would offer Maven as a benefit for their workers, leading to rapid growth. With the explosion of virtual health care after the pandemic, Ryder opened Maven’s services to anyone who wants to join [this March](https://time.com/article/2026/03/10/maven-clinic-digital-womens-health-services/ "undefined"), offering care packages on metabolic health and GLP-1 weight loss medications, as well programs that help women manage menopause hormone treatments, in addition to its general virtual clinical services. Patients can subscribe for specific packages, or access Maven’s 600 experts on an as-needed basis. “We built a care model that uniquely serves women, and starts to get them a bigger seat at the table when it comes to their own health care,” Ryder says. —_Alice Park_ ## Medtronic _Smarter surgeries_ More than half of surgeries worldwide still rely on open incisions, but only about 5% of the 60 million annual soft-tissue procedures are performed with minimally-invasive robotic assistance. Medtronic wants to make it the norm. Its [Hugo robotic-assisted surgery platform](https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/healthcare-professionals/specialties/surgical-robotics/hugo-robotic-assisted-surgery.html "undefined"), which received [FDA clearance in December 2025](https://news.medtronic.com/2025-12-03-Medtronic-announces-FDA-clearance-of-Hugo-TM-robotic-assisted-surgery-system-for-urologic-surgical-procedures "undefined"), uses modular, cart-mounted arms designed to give surgeons greater precision through smaller incisions, while an open console keeps them connected. Unlike rival systems that isolate surgeons in a closed console, Hugo keeps them in direct contact with the patient and the operating room. A companion AI system called [Touch Surgery](https://www.medtronic.com/en-us/healthcare-professionals/specialties/touch-surgery.html "undefined") acts as a kind of game film for the OR, recording procedures, breaking them down into discrete steps for review, and enabling remote proctors to watch live. Hugo is already in use across 35 countries and tens of thousands of cases; now it's entering a U.S. market where roughly 30% of procedures are already robotic. "There will be some procedures in the future that may not require an incision at all," says Matt Anderson, senior vice president of surgical at Medtronic. —_Chris Stokel-Walker_ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/04/27/time100-companies-health/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/04/27/time100-companies-health/"},"headline":"The 10 Most Influential Health and Life Science Companies of 2026","datePublished":"2026-04-27T12:25:37.553Z","dateModified":"2026-05-12T07:05:40.183Z","description":"The TIME100 Companies: Industry Leaders list of the world's most influential health and life science businesses of the year","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/04/27/time100-companies-health/","keywords":["TIME100 Companies 2026","TIME100 Companies","Companies"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfdbc4d2410a6c99/69e8ef9d50e0cc07f3ceac57/HealthandLIfeSciences.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Contributors","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/time-contributors/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcfdbc4d2410a6c99/69e8ef9d50e0cc07f3ceac57/HealthandLIfeSciences.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"HealthandLIfeSciences.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Illustrations by Zhenia Vasiliev","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time100-companies-2026/","name":"TIME100 Companies 2026"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/04/27/time100-companies-health/","name":"The 10 Most Influential Health and Life Science Companies of 2026"}}]}] ```