Top Medicines

In 2012 the first three positions are occupied by TNF-blocking agents active alpha in autoimmune diseases. Humira (adalimumab) from Abbott (now AbbVie) ranks first with 9.265 billion USD sales (+19.3% vs. 2011), followed by Remicade (infliximab) from Johnson & Johnson and Merck with 8.215 billion USD (+0.7% vs 2011) and Enbrel (etanercept) from Amgen and Pfizer (7.963 billion USD; + 8% vs. 2011).

According to IMS Health, in 2016 the top 20 therapeutic classes (cancer, diabetes, asthma / COPD, autoimmune diseases, lipid regulators are the top five in 2012) will be responsible for 42% of drug spending.

In the near future, the growth rate of the main therapeutic classes is declining due to the loss of patent protection and the lack of important new therapeutic options. In the medium term specialty drugs, especially cancer, drugs that affect the immune system, anti-HIV, will continue to grow. These drugs are very different from the old blockbuster as they are often injectable products, high cost of biological origin, which require a cold chain during transport. They are used mostly by specialists and concern very serious diseases such as cancer and often require follow-up or monitoring of the whole patient. Specialty drugs include medicines that have led to real progress in diseases such as melanoma, prostate cancer, autoimmune disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis and hepatitis C. The reasons for success are therefore to be found in the introduction of new mechanisms of action, better efficacy and the presence of relatively large populations of patients.

Source: http://www.genengnews.com