In this article, we will be taking a look at the 5 most profitable drugs in the world. You can check out our detailed analysis of the pharma industry and go directly to the 15 Most Profitable Drugs In The World.
5. Spikevax
2022 Sales: $18.43 billion
Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) achieved significant success with its COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, earning $18.43 billion in sales in 2022. The company rapidly emerged as an essential player in the pandemic response and scaled up its manufacturing efforts to deliver 807 million doses worldwide. Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA)’s revenue surge propelled it onto the list of the top most profitable pharmaceutical companies. Moderna, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA) is expanding its workforce and seeking authorization to use the vaccine on children.
4. Paxlovid
2022 Sales: $18.93 billion
Paxlovid by Pfizer,Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is an oral antiviral therapy developed to prevent severe COVID-19 and stands fourth among the most profitable drugs in the world. With impressive sales of $18.93 billion in 2022, it has shown promise in reducing hospitalization and death rates. Paxlovid offers an alternative treatment option to mitigate the severe outcomes of the disease, contributing to the global fight against COVID-19.
3. Keytruda
2022 Sales: $20.93 billion
Merck’s Keytruda remained the top-selling cancer drug in 2022, with $20.93 billion in sales and significant year-over-year growth. It outperformed Bristol Myers Squibb’s Revlimid and surpassed their drug Opdivo in sales as well. Keytruda received FDA approval for new uses in gastric and advanced kidney cancer.
The drug’s market is expanding into early cancer treatment, with an estimated 30% of sales in 2025 coming from this market. It also gained FDA approval for high-risk breast cancer and certain kidney diseases. Keytruda showed positive results in a phase 3 trial for non-small cell lung cancer, positioning it favorably against Roche’s Tecentriq. It is also being tested with other drugs, such as Lenvima and Padcev, for various cancer types.
2. Humira
2022 Sales: $21.23 billion
Due to pandemic demand, Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine surpassed AbbVie’s Humira as the top-selling drug. Humira still generated $21.23 billion in global sales but faced competition from biosimilars, leading to a 10% decline in international sales. In the U.S., biosimilar rivals will launch throughout 2023, impacting Humira’s market share.
AbbVie focuses on Skyrizi and Rinvoq to compensate for Humira’s impending patent expiration, aiming for a combined $15 billion in global sales by 2023. AbbVie anticipates a 45% erosion in Humira sales in 2023. The company has faced criticism for patent strategies and price increases. Humira is FDA-approved to treat various diseases.
1. Comirnaty
2022 Sales: $55.91 billion
Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, became the world’s top-selling drug in 2022, surpassing AbbVie’s Humira. The debate over boosters and the transition from a pandemic market to a private one poses uncertainties for future COVID-19 vaccine sales.
Comirnaty gained full FDA approval and was authorized to use in children aged 5 to 11. The potential for annual vaccinations and a rebound in demand exist. Pfizer is preparing for the private market, but no concrete plans have been announced yet.
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