The 10 Best Selling Prescription Drugs In The United States

By admin on June 28, 2012

Pills

This and last year were big years for the so called “patent cliff”, where drug makers started to face generic competition on some of their biggest money makers.This included some of the biggest drugs in history, including Lipitor and Plavix.

Chasing blockbusters is dangerous. AstraZeneca, which has focused on such drugs, recently saw its CEO depart as earnings plunged.

Only a fraction of drugs succeed, but a look at how much a blockbuster is worth makes it clear why companies continue to chase them.

Here are some of the key facts:

The top 20 drugs in the United States accounted for $ 319.9 billion in sales in 2011.
The most lucrative drugs of the top ten were those that attempt to prevent heart disease, followed by those that treat depression.
AstraZeneca has the most drugs in the top ten with three, followed by Bristol-Myers Squibb with two.
Four of the top ten drugs have recently lost patent protection in the United States, with another joining later this year.

Lipitor – $ 7.7 billion

Company:
Pfizer

US sales in 2011:
$ 7.7 billion

What does it do:
Lipitor (atorvastatin) lowers LDLs or “bad cholesterol”, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Important dates:
Approved December, 1996. US patent expired November, 2011.

The future:
Pfizer made an effort to keep up sales against generics by aggressively advertising the drug even after the patent expired.. It quietly halted the effort earlier this year. Lipitor sales plunged 42 percent in the first quarter this year.

Sources: IMS Health, Pfizer, US Patent Office

Plavix – $ 6.8 billion

Company:
Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Aventis

US Sales in 2011:
$ 6.8 billion

What does it do:
Plavix (clopidogrel) is an anti platelet agent used to prevent clots, helping prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Important dates:
Approved November, 1997. US patent expired May, 2012.

The future:
Several generic versions of the drug were approved on May 17th and are now on sale. Both Bristol Myers Squibb and Sanofi have aggressively pursued acquisitions and new research to make up for the loss of their biggest money maker.

Sources: IMS Health, US Patent Office, Reuters

Nexium – $ 6.2 billion

Company:
AstraZeneca

US Sales in 2011:
$ 6.2 billion

What does it do:
Nexium (esomeprazole) treats acid reflux disease by reducing the amount of acid in the stomach.

Important dates:
Approved March, 2000. US patent expires May, 2014.

The future:
Generic drugmaker Teva won’t enter the US market until 2014, but there is already generic competition in Europe. Declining sales have significantly impacted earnings.

Sources: IMS Health, US Patent Office

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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0 Comments

guest

February 23, 2012 at 12:31 am

WHAT DO WE DO! Half the stuff in here I came across in the past few years and now seems to be making more sense. However, what is there to do in a case like this? Conformity is not an option for me.

Reply
Zaheer Bux

February 23, 2012 at 7:07 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkWYwCq4bwo

Reply
Ethan Phillips

February 23, 2012 at 5:49 pm

Suppppppper man

Reply
Isaiah Ford

February 24, 2012 at 7:49 am

everything makes sense… ya… but… to the person who created this video, why aren’t you trying to help? Is it because there is NOTHING that can be done to help the “poor and ignorant”?? Or are you just one of the Rich ones???

Reply
Chris Knox

February 26, 2012 at 8:07 pm

“But for some reason they disappeared.”

Reply
Jonny22

February 28, 2012 at 10:16 pm

more more more. wait. that sums it up

Reply
Follow the leader

March 21, 2012 at 10:16 pm

“But for some reason they disappeared.”

hmmm interesting

Reply
Nickole1010

March 30, 2012 at 10:55 am

We have to influence the lower class to stand up as an individual an expose the truth no matter what it takes. We know what’s going on in the world after viewing this video, and getting other knowledge from else where, we must be the leaders of our lower class, we must guide them to the truth through many forms of creative art. The time is NOW, spread the knowledge and help them understand the truth. GOD only means GOOD, and the DEVIL only means EVIL there is no in between, if you have this knowledge and sit back and do nothing you have made your choice. NOW GO OUT AND SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE AS CREATIVE AS YOU CAN. DON’T BE AFRAID we as humans must stand and protect our home this is not only for them to have a say-so we deserve a piece of the pie as much as they do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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