The world of pharmaceuticals has been experiencing drastic changes ever since the advent of novel coronavirus Covid19, that appeared and spread from the city of Wuhan in China. There have been steep changes in demand for drugs used for treatment of COVID-19 and injectables for supportive care, apart from increased demand for the drugs that are used to treat diseases that arise or get aggravated due Covid19, like the respiratory issues and so on.
Noteworthy changes in Global Pharma Dynamics
- While the global sales rankings of pharmaceutical drugs are mostly being crowded by the popular names from the Big Pharmas, the chart also got to see newer names replacing older ones after the world got hit by pandemic.
- Increased use of hydroxychloroquine in agreement with US prescription refill patterns, has been seen although there may be ethical issues associated with off-label emergency use.
- Although it boosted the overall global pharma sales, yet risks of self-medication and panic buying became two major concerns. Researchers are showing an underscore for the importance of routine drug utilization monitoring as a useful tool to timely record quantitative and qualitative changes in demand for drug prescriptions.
Drugs Buzzing and Creating News
- The top three drugs i,e AbbVie’s Humira, Merck’s Keytruda and Bristol Myers Squibb’s Revlimid, showed steady year over year growth.
- The first big change can be observed at No. 4 position of the global ranking of most selling medicines; with Bristol Myers and Pfizer’s ascendant blood thinner Eliquis. In 2019, the rank was occupied by Bristol’s inhibitor Opdivo. But then it could not keep up the pace with Merck and slipped to No. 8 in 2020.
- Roche’s cancer medicne Avastin generated $7.12 billion in 2019, to settle for the No. 8 position, but as biosimilar players gained pace, sales fell to $5.32 billion in 2020. Avastin ended up at No. 14. Rituxan, another Roche blockbuster with new biosimilar competition, fell 7 spots to No. 17.
- Several big-selling drugs fell off the list altogether. Biogen’s multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera, under generic pressure, missed the cut in 2020, as did Roche’s cancer blockbuster Herceptin and Gilead’s HIV drug Genvoya.
- Three drugs namely, AstraZeneca’s cancer med Tagrisso, Pfizer and Astellas oncology offering Xtandi, and Roche’s multiple sclerosis launch Ocrevus; made to the list for the first time.
- Biosimilar medicine manufacturers are seamlessly churning bulk sales even though facing tough market competition.
- Generics are also creating a stir as a big part of OTC segment that got immensely effected by panic buying and self-medication post pandemic.
List of the Top 20 Drugs Topping the Global Sales Chart Post Pandemic
#1 Humira [Sales in 2020: $20.39 billion]
Associated Diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, hidradenitis suppurativa, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis.
Did you know?
Weefsel Pharma has successfully established itself as one of the leading manufacturers and exporters of Arthritis medicines. Click here to know more.
#2 Keytruda [Sales in 2020: $14.38 billion]
Associated Diseases: melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, large B-cell lymphoma, bladder cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, esophageal cancer, cervical cancer, liver cancer, Merkel cell carcinoma, kidney cancer (in combination with Inlyta), endometrial cancer (in combination with Lenvima).
Did you know?
Weefsel Pharma is globally one of the top manufacturers and exporters of Anti-Cancer medicines. Click here to know more.
#3 Revlimid [2020 sales: $12.15 billion]
Associated Diseases: Multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, mantle cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma and marginal zone lymphoma.
#4 Eliquis [2020 sales: $9.17 billion]
Associated Disease: Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation
Did you know?
Weefsel Pharma happens to be an eminent manufacturer and exporter of Antiarrhythmic medicines. Click here to know more.
#5 Imbruvica [2020 sales: $8.43 billion]
Associated Diseases: Mantle cell lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, marginal zone lymphoma, chronic graft vs. host disease
#6 Eylea [2020 sales: $8.36 billion]
Associated Diseases: wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, macular edema
Did you know?
Among many other pharma products, Weefsel Pharma also happens to manufacture and supply Eye Drops for diseases or issues related to different parts of eyes. Click here to get details.
#7 Stelara [2020 sales: $7.94 billion]
Associated Diseases: plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis
Did you know?
With a huge list of anti-ulcer medicines, Weefsel Pharma is one of the top ranking manufacturers and exporters of ulcer drugs. Click here to know further.
#8 Opdivo [2020 sales: $7.92 billion]
Associated Diseases: melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer, Hodgkin Lymphoma, head and neck cancer, bladder cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer
#9 Biktarvy [2020 sales: $7.26 billion]
Associated Diseases: HIV
Did you know?
Weefsel Pharma is a proud manufacturer, exporter and supplier of a wide range of HIV care medicines. Click here to get all details.
#10 Xarelto [Around $6.93 billion in 2020]
Associated Diseases: This drug is a high graded blood thinner, widely used to treat blood clots without a high risk of bleeding.
Did you know?
Weefsel Pharma is an eminent name when it comes to manufacturing and exporting of Blood Thinners or Anti-Coagualnt medicines. Click here for full details. Apart from this it also manufacturers other medicines for Blood Disorders.
#11 Enbrel [2020 sales: $6.37 billion]
Associated Diseases: rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis
#12 Prevnar 13 [2020 sales: $5.95 billion]
Associated Disease: Pneumococcal disease
Did you know?
Weefsel Pharma has an endless list of Antibiotics, that it manufactures and exports across more than fifty nations.
#13 Ibrance [2020 sales: $5.39 billion]
Associated Diseases: HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer
Did you know?
Weefsel Pharma is a forerunner when it comes to Women’s Health Medicines.
#14 Avastin [2020 sales: $5.32 billion]
Associated Diseases: cervical cancer; colorectal cancer; epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer; glioblastoma; kidney cancer; liver cancer; non-small cell lung cancer
#15 Trulicity [2020 sales: $5.07 billion]
Associated Disease: Type 2 diabetes
Did you know?
As a leading Anti-Diabetic Medicines manufactuter and supplier, Weefsel Pharma has got a wide range of diabetes medicines in its catalogue. Click here and have a look.
#16 Ocrevus [2020 sales: $4.61 billion]
Associated Diseases: multiple sclerosis
Did you know?
Weefsel Pharma is a prominent name when it comes to manufacturing and exporting of Skincare or Dermatology medicines. Click here to know more.
#17 Rituxan [2020 sales: $4.52 billion]
Associated Diseases: chronic lymphocytic leukemia, granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, pemphigus vulgaris, rheumatoid arthritis
#18 Xtandi [2020 sales: $4.39 billion]
Associated Diseases: metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer; non-metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer; metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer
#19 Tagrisso [2020 sales: $4.33 billion]
Associated Diseases: non-small cell lung cancer
#20 Remicade [2020 sales: $4.195 billion]
Associated Diseases: Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis