Abbott vs AbbVie: Key Differences Explained

When you hear Abbott, a global healthcare company founded in 1888 that makes everything from diagnostic tools to baby formula. Also known as Abbott Laboratories, it still runs hospitals, labs, and nutrition brands around the world. and AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company spun off from Abbott in 2013 focused entirely on prescription drugs and biologics. Also known as AbbVie Inc., it’s the company behind Humira and other high-cost biologic treatments., it’s easy to think they’re the same. But they’re not. They used to be one company. Then, in 2013, Abbott split into two separate businesses. One kept the name Abbott. The other became AbbVie. That split wasn’t just a name change—it was a complete reshuffle of what each company does, sells, and where it makes money.

Abbott now focuses on devices and everyday health products. Think glucose monitors for diabetics, heart stents, pregnancy tests, and baby formula. It’s the kind of company you interact with at the pharmacy counter or in your kitchen. Its products are often over-the-counter or used in clinics. Meanwhile, AbbVie is all about big-ticket drugs. It develops and markets complex biologic medicines, mostly for autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s. Its biggest seller, Humira, made billions for years. Even after patent loss, AbbVie keeps growing by launching new drugs and buying smaller biotech firms. The two companies don’t compete—they operate in completely different lanes. Abbott sells tools and nutrition. AbbVie sells high-priced pills and injections.

Where Abbott has factories making test strips and infant formula in places like India and Mexico, AbbVie’s main manufacturing is tied to drug synthesis and bioreactors in the U.S., Ireland, and Switzerland. Abbott’s revenue comes from volume and wide distribution. AbbVie’s comes from high margins on a few key drugs. One is a consumer health giant. The other is a biopharma powerhouse. If you’re tracking pharma stocks, you’re watching two different stories. One is steady, diversified, and rooted in daily health needs. The other is volatile, research-heavy, and driven by patent cliffs and drug pipelines. Understanding this split helps you make sense of news about drug prices, supply chains, or mergers. You’ll know if a new diabetes device came from Abbott or if a new arthritis drug is from AbbVie. And that matters—if you’re a patient, investor, or just someone trying to understand why your prescription cost went up.

Below, you’ll find articles that dig into how companies like these operate, where drugs are made, and what separates big pharma from the rest. Some cover India’s role in drug manufacturing. Others explain how companies like Dr. Reddy’s compete globally. You’ll see how supply chains, patents, and manufacturing choices shape the medicines you use every day.