The World's Best-selling Medicines
Sales of prescription medicines worldwide rose 7% to $602 billion, according to IMS health, a pharmaceutical information and consulting company. The United States still accounts for the lion's share of that, with $252 billion in annual sales, but sales in it and the other nine biggest markets grew by only 5.7%. But emerging markets such as China, Russia, South Korea and Mexico outpaced those markets, growing a whopping 81%.
Pfizer's cholesterol pill Lipitor remains the best-selling drug in the world for the fifth year in a row. Its annual sales were $12.9 billion, more than twice as much as its closest competitors: Plavix, the blood thinner from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis; Nexium, the heartburn pill from AstraZeneca and Advair, the asthma inhaler from GlaxoSmithKline.
The following is a list of the top 100 pharmaceutical products ranked by sales.
Brand Name(s) Company(ies) Disease/Medical Use First Approval Date
1 Lipitor Pfizer, Astellas Pharma
Cholesterol Dec-1996
2 Advair, Seretide GlaxoSmithKline
Asthma Aug-2000
3 Plavix, Iscover Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi-Aventis
Thrombotic events Nov-1997
4 Nexium AstraZeneca
Gastrointestinal disorders Mar-2000
5 Norvasc Pfizer
Hypertension Jul-1992
6 Remicade Johnson & Johnson, Schering-Plough, Tanabe
Rheumatoid arthritis Aug-1998
7 Enbrel Amgen, Wyeth
Rheumatoid arthritis Nov-1998
8 Zyprexa Eli Lilly
Schizophrenia Sep-1996
9 Diovan Novartis
Hypertension Dec-1996
10 Risperdal Johnson & Johnson
Schizophrenia Dec-1993
11 Aranesp Amgen
Anemia Jun-2001
12 Rituxan, MabThera Roche, Genentech, Biogen Idec, Chugai Pharmaceutical
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Nov-1997
13 Effexor Wyeth
Depression, Anxiety disorders Dec-1993
14 Protonix, Pantozol, Pantoloc Wyeth, Altana, Solvay
Gastrointestinal disorders Feb-2000
15 Singulair Merck & Co.
Asthma Feb-1998
16 Seroquel AstraZeneca, Astellas Pharma
Schizophrenia Sep-1997
17 Prevacid, Takepron TAP Pharmaceuticals, Takeda Pharmaceutical
Gastrointestinal disorders May-1995
18 Procrit, Eprex Johnson & Johnson
Anemia Dec-1990
19 Cozaar, Hyzaar Merck & Co.
Hypertension Apr-1995
20 Fosamax Merck & Co.
Osteoporosis Sep-1995
21 Herceptin Roche, Genentech, Chugai Pharmaceutical
Breast cancer Sep-1998
22 Lovenox, Clexane Sanofi-Aventis
Deep-vein thrombosis Mar-1993
23 Avandia, Avandamet, Avandaryl GlaxoSmithKline
Type 2 diabetes May-1999
24 Actos Takeda Pharmaceutical, Eli Lilly
Type 2 diabetes Jul-1999
25 Zocor Merck & Co.
Cholesterol Dec-1991
26 Copaxone Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Sanofi-Aventis
Multiple sclerosis Dec-1996
27 AcipHex, Pariet Eisai, Johnson & Johnson
Gastrointestinal disorders Aug-1999
28 Neulasta Amgen
Neutropenia Jan-2002
29 Lexapro, Cipralex Forest Laboratories, H. Lundbeck
Depression, Anxiety disorders Aug-2002
30 Gleevec, Glivec Novartis
Leukemia May-2001
31 Ambien, Stilnox Sanofi-Aventis
Insomnia Dec-1992
32 Aricept Eisai, Pfizer
Alzheimer’s disease Nov-1996
33 Epogen Amgen
Anemia Jun-1989
34 Zyrtec, Cirrus Pfizer, UCB, Daiichi Sankyo
Allergic rhinitis Dec-1995
35 Avapro, Aprovel, Avalide Sanofi-Aventis, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Hypertension Sep-1997
36 Avastin Roche, Genentech
Colorectal cancer Feb-2004
37 Taxotere Sanofi-Aventis
Cancer Oct-1995
38 Eloxatin, Eloxatine Sanofi-Aventis
Colorectal cancer Aug-2002
39 Zoloft Pfizer
Depression, Anxiety disorders Dec-1991
40 Tamiflu Roche, Chugai Pharmaceutical
Influenza Oct-1999
41 Lantus Sanofi-Aventis
Type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes Apr-2000
42 Crestor AstraZeneca, Shionogi
Cholesterol Nov-2002
43 Humira Abbott Laboratories
Rheumatoid arthritis Dec-2002
44 Celebrex Pfizer
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis Dec-1998
45 Topamax Johnson & Johnson
Seizures Dec-1996
46 Prevnar Wyeth
Pneumococcal disease Feb-2000
47 Vytorin Merck & Co., Schering-Plough
Cholesterol Jul-2004
48 Zetia Merck & Co., Schering-Plough
Cholesterol Oct-2002
49 Wellbutrin GlaxoSmithKline, Biovail
Depression, Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) Aug-2003
50 Abilify Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb
Schizophrenia Nov-2002
51 Lamictal GlaxoSmithKline
Seizures Dec-1994
52 Toprol, Seloken AstraZeneca
Hypertension Jan-1992
53 NeoRecormon, Epogin Roche, Chugai Pharmaceutical
Anemia Jul-1997
54 Atacand, Blopress Takeda Pharmaceutical, AstraZeneca
Hypertension Oct-1997
55 Spiriva Boehringer Ingelheim
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Apr-2002
56 Avonex Biogen Idec
Multiple sclerosis May-1996
57 Viagra Pfizer
Erectile dysfunction Mar-1998
58 Micardis Boehringer Ingelheim, Astellas Pharma
Hypertension Nov-1998
59 Actonel Procter & Gamble, Sanofi-Aventis
Osteoporosis Mar-1998
60 Lupron, Leuplin Takeda Pharmaceutical, TAP Pharmaceuticals
Prostate cancer Jan-1989
61 TriCor, Lipanthyl Abbott Laboratories, Solvay
Cholesterol Feb-1998
62 Zofran GlaxoSmithKline
Nausea and vomiting Dec-1992
63 Valtrex GlaxoSmithKline
Herpes Jun-1995
64 Levaquin, Floxin Johnson & Johnson
Bacterial infections Dec-1996
65 Arimidex AstraZeneca
Breast cancer Dec-1995
66 Prograf Astellas Pharma
Transplant rejection Apr-1993
67 CellCept Roche, Chugai Pharmaceutical
Transplant rejection May-1995
68 Xalatan, Xalacom Pfizer
Intraocular pressure Jun-1996
69 Rebif Serono
Multiple sclerosis Feb-1998
70 Coreg GlaxoSmithKline
Hypertension Sep-1995
71 Gemzar Eli Lilly
Cancer May-1996
72 Prilosec, Losec AstraZeneca
Gastrointestinal disorders Sep-1989
73 Benicar, Olmetec Daiichi Sankyo, Forest Laboratories
Hypertension Apr-2002
74 Lotrel Novartis
Hypertension Jun-1999
75 Cymbalta Eli Lilly
Depression, Anxiety disorders Aug-2004
76 Imitrex, Imigran GlaxoSmithKline
Migraine Dec-1992
77 Depakote Abbott Laboratories
Seizures Mar-1983
78 Humalog Eli Lilly
Diabetes Apr-1996
79 Duragesic Johnson & Johnson
Pain Aug-1990
80 Pulmicort AstraZeneca
Asthma Jun-1997
81 Zometa Novartis
Hypercalcemia Aug-2000
82 Betaseron, Betaferon Schering AG
Multiple sclerosis Jul-1993
83 Delix, Tritace Sanofi-Aventis
Hypertension Jul-2000
84 Flovent, Flixotide GlaxoSmithKline
Asthma Mar-1996
85 Neupogen Amgen
Neutropenia Feb-1991
86 Casodex AstraZeneca
Prostate cancer Oct-1995
87 Pravachol Bristol-Myers Squibb
Cholesterol Oct-1991
88 Truvada Gilead Sciences
HIV infection Aug-2004
89 Symbicort AstraZeneca
Asthma Aug-2000
90 Pegasys Roche, Chugai Pharmaceutical
Hepatitis C Jun-2002
91 Evista Eli Lilly, Chugai Pharmaceutical
Osteoporosis Dec-1997
92 Flomax Boehringer Ingelheim
Benign prostatic hypertrophy Oct-1997
93 Lyrica Pfizer
Neuropathic pain Jul-2004
94 Paxil, Seroxat GlaxoSmithKline
Depression, Anxiety disorders Dec-1992
95 Kaletra Abbott Laboratories
HIV infection Mar-2001
96 Detrol Pfizer
Overactive bladder Mar-1998
97 Harnal Astellas Pharma
Benign prostatic hypertrophy Jul-1992
98 Erbitux Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck KGaA
Colorectal cancer Feb-2004
99 Synagis MedImmune
Respiratory syncytial virus Jun-1998
100 Augmentin GlaxoSmithKline
Bacterial infections Aug-1984
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