Pharmaceutical companies such as J & J, Novartis, and Roche have recently released their 2017 financial reports in succession, wherein, J & J stayed on the position of sales champion by USD 76.5 billion full-year revenue; Humira continued to be strong, with sales of 2017 fiscal year growing by USD 2.69 billion to reach USD 18.427 billion in total, becoming a "6-time champion". Based on the financial report data released by the companies, I have analyzed the top 50 products by global sales, the market development trends behind product pattern changes, and analyzed the company and product features from several aspects.
I. Top 50 products: Analysis of fields
Beginning from products, I have summarized and ranked the sales of each pharmaceutical product. Among the top 50 products, there are 12 oncology drugs, 9 autoimmune disease drugs, 8 diabetes drugs, 6 nervous system drugs, 5 antiviral drugs, and 10 others (anticoagulants, respiratory system drugs, and vaccines, etc.).
II. Top 50 products: Steep decline of anti-HCV products, and clearer impacts from generic drugs
The sofosbuvir, imatinib, and Zeita had disappeared from the 2017 top 50 products, while products like Keytruda, Genvoya, and Epclusa entered the top 50 by global sales for the first time. Several distinctive features are noteworthy:
1. Anti-HCV products began to sharply shrink
Anti-HCV products like Solvadi and Harvoni of Gilead had created sales myth, and raised the market value of Gilead to the top 10; Gilead had occupied most market shares on the hepatitis C drug market with the help of the anti-HCV miracle drug, and its sales peaked in 2015 to reach USD 19.14 billion. However, Gilead’s hepatitis C business started to sharply shrink from 2016, and Solvadi fell out the top 50 and Harvoni descended to 16th place from 2nd place. See the article Gilead released 2017 financial report: Hepatitis C business continued to slump, while the new-generation anti-HIV product surged by 184%.
2. Impacts from generic drugs became clearer
Among the 2017 top 50, sales of products like imatinib, rosuvastatin, and insulin detemir steeply declined, and their market shares rapidly shrunk due to marketing of the generic drugs.
3. Market performance of ibrutinib, apixaban, Keytruda, and Opdivo was brilliant
Sales of products represented by ibrutinib, apixaban, Keytruda, and Opdivo largely increased in 2017, especially the anti-PD-(L)1 antibody drugs represented by Keytruda and Opdivo. The market size of the anti-PD-(L)1 antibody drugs has now exceeded USD 10 billion, and the market prospects thereof will still be quite bright in 2018, with Keytruda and Opdivo to become the shiniest stars on the anti-PD-(L)1 antibody drug market.
4. Several products with high "sales proportion"
According to my statistics of the proportions of product sales in total revenue of companies, several products played the mainstay role, including AbbVie’s Humira, Regeneron’s aflibercept, Celgene’s lenalidomide, and Biogen’s dimethyl fumarate, with the sales proportions up to more than 30%, and some even reaching the astonishing 88%. However, the high sales proportion has certain impacts on a company’s long-term interests, as the company will face huge downward pressure once the product’s patent expires. Therefore, companies shall focus on product upgrading and new business development.
We can see from the changes of top 50 that the biosimilar/generic drug competition becomes increasingly intensified, with fast iteration; lenalidomide, xaban anticoagulants, CD4/6 inhibitors, and BTK inhibitors development are noteworthy; advantages of bio-macromolecular drugs are constantly showing, biosimilar development becomes increasingly mature and normalized as the engineering and technology means mature, and prices of EPO and long-acting insulin, etc. will decrease.
Technology is fast-changing, and monoclonal antibody drugs represented by anti-PD-(L)1 drugs, and cell immunotherapies are changing the world.
|
Ranking
|
Trade name
|
Generic name
|
Indication
|
Product sales
(USD 100 million)
|
2017 sales (USD 100 million)
|
Sales proportion, %
|
Company
|
|
1
|
Humira
|
Adalimumab
|
Autoimmune disease
|
184.27
|
184.27
|
65.31
|
AbbVie
|
|
2
|
Revlimid
|
Lenalidomide
|
Multiple myeloma, etc.
|
81.87
|
81.87
|
62.96
|
Celgene
|
|
3
|
MabThera,
Rituxan
|
Rituximab
|
Leukemia, etc.
|
78.89
|
78.89
|
13.86
|
Roche
|
|
4
|
Enbrel
|
Etanercept
|
Autoimmune disease
|
78.85
|
24.52
|
4.67
|
Pfizer
|
|
54.33
|
23.78
|
Amgen
|
|
5
|
Remicade
|
Infliximab
|
Autoimmune disease
|
77.57
|
8.37
|
2.37
|
MSD
|
|
63.15
|
8.25
|
J & J
|
|
6.05
|
14.94
|
Mitsubishi Tanabe
|
|
6
|
Herceptin
|
Trastuzumab
|
Breast cancer
|
74.88
|
74.88
|
13.16
|
Roche
|
|
7
|
Eliquis
|
Apixaban
|
Anticoagulation
|
73.95
|
25.23
|
4.80
|
Pfizer
|
|
48.72
|
23.42
|
BMS
|
|
8
|
Avastin
|
Bevacizumab
|
Lung cancer and renal cell carcinoma, etc.
|
71.41
|
71.41
|
12.55
|
Roche
|
|
9
|
Eylea
|
Aflibercept
|
Age-related macular degeneration
|
59.29
|
37.02
|
63.04
|
Regeneron
|
|
22.27
|
N/A
|
Bayer
|
|
10
|
Opdivo
|
nivolumab
|
Melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, etc.
|
57.69
|
49.48
|
23.79
|
BMS
|
|
8.21
|
34.40
|
Ono
|
|
11
|
Prevnar 13
|
Pneumococcal vaccine
|
Pneumococcal vaccine
|
56.01
|
56.01
|
10.66
|
Pfizer
|
|
12
|
Xarelto
|
Rivaroxaban
|
Anticoagulation
|
53.5-55.5
|
25.00
|
3.27
|
J & J
|
|
28.5-30
|
N/A
|
Bayer
|
|
13
|
Lyrica
|
Pregabalin
|
Neuralgia
|
50.65
|
50.65
|
9.64
|
Pfizer
|
|
14
|
Neulasta
|
Pegfilgrastim
|
Neutropenia
|
45.34
|
45.34
|
19.84
|
Amgen
|
|
15
|
Imbruvica
|
Ibrutinib
|
Leukemia, etc.
|
44.66
|
18.93
|
2.47
|
J & J
|
|
25.73
|
9.12
|
AbbVie
|
|
16
|
Lantus
|
Insulin glargine
|
Diabetes
|
44.46
|
44.46
|
10.32
|
Sanofi
|
|
17
|
Harvoni
|
ledipasvir/sofosbuvir
|
HCV
|
43.70
|
43.70
|
16.74
|
Gilead
|
|
18
|
Seretide,Advair
|
Fluticasone/salmeterol
|
Asthma
|
43.67
|
43.67
|
14.47
|
GSK
|
|
19
|
Tecfidera
|
Dimethyl fumarate
|
Multiple sclerosis
|
42.14
|
42.14
|
34.33
|
Biogen
|
|
20
|
Stelara
|
Ustekinumab
|
Autoimmune disease
|
40.11
|
40.11
|
5.24
|
J & J
|
|
21
|
Keytruda
|
pembrolizumab
|
Melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, etc.
|
38.09
|
38.09
|
1.08
|
MSD
|
|
22
|
Copaxone
|
Glatiramer acetate
|
Nervous system
|
38.01
|
38.01
|
16.98
|
Teva
|
|
23
|
Victoza
|
Liraglutide
|
Diabetes
|
37.66
|
37.66
|
20.75
|
Novo Nordisk
|
|
24
|
Januvia
|
Sitagliptin
|
Type 2 diabetes
|
37.37
|
37.37
|
1.06
|
MSD
|
|
25
|
Genvoya
|
Cobicistat/elvitegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide
|
HIV
|
36.74
|
36.74
|
14.08
|
Gilead
|
|
26
|
Epclusa
|
sofosbuvir/velpatasvir
|
HCV
|
35.10
|
35.10
|
13.45
|
Gilead
|
|
27
|
Triumeq
|
Abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine
|
HIV
|
34.33
|
34.33
|
11.37
|
GSK
|
|
28
|
Lucentis
|
Ranibizumab
|
Age-related macular degeneration
|
33.93
|
15.05
|
2.65
|
Roche
|
|
18.88
|
3.84
|
Novartis
|
|
29
|
NovoRapid
|
Insulin aspart
|
Diabetes
|
32.54
|
32.54
|
17.93
|
Novo Nordisk
|
|
30
|
Gilenya
|
Fingolimod
|
Multiple sclerosis
|
31.85
|
31.85
|
6.49
|
Novartis
|
|
31
|
Soliris
|
Eculizumab
|
Myasthenia gravis
|
31.44
|
31.44
|
88.53
|
Alexion
|
|
32
|
Truvada
|
Emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
|
HIV
|
31.34
|
31.34
|
12.01
|
Gilead
|
|
33
|
Ibrance
|
palbociclib
|
Breast cancer
|
31.26
|
31.26
|
5.95
|
Pfizer
|
|
34
|
Humalog
|
Insulin lispro
|
Type 2 diabetes
|
28.65
|
28.65
|
12.53
|
Eli Lilly
|
|
35
|
Symbicort
|
Budesonide/formoterol
|
Asthma, COPD
|
28.03
|
28.03
|
12.48
|
AstraZeneca
|
|
36
|
Xolair
|
Omalizumab
|
Asthma, etc.
|
27.75
|
18.55
|
3.27
|
Roche
|
|
9.20
|
1.87
|
Novartis
|
|
37
|
Simponi
|
Golimumab
|
Autoimmune disease
|
26.52
|
8.19
|
2.31
|
MSD
|
|
18.33
|
2.40
|
J & J
|
|
38
|
Xtandi
|
Enzalutamide
|
Prostate cancer
|
26.54**
|
26.54
|
22.00
|
Astellas
|
|
39
|
Invega Sustenna
/Xeplion/Trinza
|
Paliperidone
|
Schizophrenia
|
25.69
|
25.69
|
3.36
|
J & J
|
|
40
|
Zytiga
|
Abiraterone
|
Prostate cancer
|
25.05
|
25.05
|
3.27
|
J & J
|
|
41
|
Orencia
|
Abatacept
|
Rheumatoid arthritis
|
24.79
|
24.79
|
11.92
|
BMS
|
|
42
|
Velcade
|
Bortezomib
|
Multiple myeloma
|
23.65
|
12.5*
|
7.88
|
Takeda
|
|
11.14
|
1.46
|
J & J
|
|
43
|
Crestor
|
Rosuvastatin
|
Lipid lowering
|
23.65
|
23.65
|
10.53
|
AstraZeneca
|
|
44
|
Perjeta
|
Pertuzumab
|
Breast cancer
|
23.38
|
23.38
|
4.12
|
Roche
|
|
45
|
Cialis
|
Tadalafil
|
Erectile dysfunction
|
23.23
|
23.23
|
10.16
|
Eli Lilly
|
|
46
|
Gardasil/Gardasil 9
|
Cervical cancer vaccine
|
Cervical cancer vaccine
|
23.08
|
23.08
|
6.52
|
MSD
|
|
47
|
Levemir
|
Insulin detemir
|
Diabetes
|
22.94
|
22.94
|
12.64
|
Novo Nordisk
|
|
48
|
Vyvanse
|
Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate
|
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, binge eating disorder
|
21.61
|
21.61
|
14.96
|
Shire
|
|
49
|
Janumet
|
Sitagliptin/metformin
|
Type 2 diabetes
|
21.58
|
21.58
|
6.10
|
MSD
|
|
50
|
Avonex
|
Interferon beta-1a
|
Multiple sclerosis
|
21.52
|
21.52
|
17.53
|
Biogen
|
|
Note:
- The exchange rates of some currencies against USD are as follows: JPY 1=USD 0.009356, SEK 1=USD 0.1224, CHF 1=USD 1.0677, EUR 1=1.2293, GBP 1=USD 1.3965.
- Product sales of Daiichi Sankyo and Ono Pharmaceutical, etc. were obtained by split calculation.
- Bayer has not released the financial report, and the sales data of aflibercept were from the financial report of Regeneron, and the data of rivaroxaban were predicted by me.
- "Sales proportion" in the table refers to the proportion of a product’s sales in the total revenue of a company.
- Data were sourced from the company financial reports.
|
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