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Indisputable: Humira, Biologics Dominate Pharma Sales In 2017

 
• By John Hodgson

Demand for the top-selling drug, Humira, continues to break all sales records, leading a charge in which, for the first time, a majority of the top 30 selling drugs were biologics. But 2017 also saw one multiple blockbuster drug lose over 75% of it's sales for reasons other than loss of exclusivity or market withdrawal. 

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Global drug sales - biologics take over at last

For the sixth year running, AbbVie'sHumira (adilumumab) is the world's best selling drug, with nearly $19bn in global sales in 2017, over $10bn clear of its nearest rivals, Amgen'sEnbrel (etanercept, $8.58bn) and Celgene'sRevlimid (lenalidomide, $8.19bn). And for the first time since recombinant DNA became a significant drug production technique, there are more biologicals than non-biologics in the top 30.

Humira's sales were up 14.6% on 2016 levels, a remarkable achievement for a mature product. According to historical drug sales...

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