Pharma’s Big Ten

March 28, 2006

According to Forbes.com, global spending on prescription drugs has topped $600 billion, even as growth slowed in Europe and North America. The top ten best-selling drugs are:

1. Lipitor (high cholesterol) $12.9 billion
2. PLAVIX (heart disease) $5.9 billion
3. NEXIUM (heartburn) $5.7 billion
4. SERETIDE/ADVAIR (asthma) $5.6 billion
5. ZOCOR (high cholesterol) $5.3 billion
6. NORVASC (high blood pressure) $5.0 billion
7. ZYPREXA (schizophrenia) $4.7 billion
8. RISPERDAL (schizophrenia) $4.0 billion
9. PREVACID (heartburn) $4.0 billion
10. EFFEXOR (depression) $3.8 billion

Notably missing from the list are biotic drugs. Almost all of the drugs on the list are small molecules, says Forbes, the same kind of chemicals that “kick-started the drug business into existence at the turn of the last century.”