To help you understand what is going on in the drug and pharmaceutical industry and what we expect to happen in the future, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You'll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…
At the very least, 2024 will be better than 2023 for the pharma industry. Swiss pharma giant Roche will score the most sales ($55 billion) of any drugmaker next year on the strength of its biologics portfolio, including Ocrevus, a treatment for MS, as well as anti-cancer agent Tecentriq and hemophilia drug Hemlibra.
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Merck, AbbVie (ABBV) and Pfizer will exceed $50 billion in sales, too. But Pfizer, the world’s top-selling drugmaker last year, will fall to fifth place due to declining sales for its pandemic-related treatments.
Another notable change: Novo Nordisk will enter the top 10, supplanting GSK (formerly GlaxoSmithKline). Novo Nordisk will boast the two biggest generators of new drug sales, which are both weight loss-related: Wegovy ($4 billion in new sales) and Ozempic ($3 billion).
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Combined, total sales of the drugs, which both employ the same active ingredient, Semaglutide, will rival those of Keytruda, the world’s best-selling pharmaceutical. Keytruda, a cancer immunotherapy drug manufactured and marketed by Merck, will generate over $25 billion this year.
Beyond Keytruda, Wegovy and Ozempic, other top sellers include Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent, which is used to treat allergic diseases like eczema, asthma and nasal polyps, Eliquis, the Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb drug used to prevent blood clots, and Gilead’s Biktarvy, a fixed-dose combination medication for the treatment of HIV and AIDS.
This forecast first appeared in The Kiplinger Letter, which has been running since 1923 and is a collection of concise weekly forecasts on business and economic trends, as well as what to expect from Washington, to help you understand what’s coming up to make the most of your investments and your money. Subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.
Related Content
-
M&A Is Why UnitedHealth Group Stock Is in of the 100,000% Return ClubUnitedHealth has given a master class in mergers and acquisitions over the years.
-
How GLP-1 Drugs Could Revolutionize RetirementGLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are already changing the way we age and manage chronic conditions.
-
Donald Trump Tests His LimitsThe Kiplinger Letter President Encounters Legal Obstacles in Pursuit of Ambitious Agenda.
-
Another Down Year for AgricultureThe Kiplinger Letter Farmers brace for falling incomes, widening trade deficits
-
What To Know if You’re in the Market for a New Car This YearThe Kiplinger Letter Buying a new car will get a little easier, but don’t expect many deals.
-
How AI Will Impact Our Lives in 2025 and BeyondThe Kiplinger Letter Now that breakthrough artificial intelligence is here, the next decade of computing will be dominated by AI.
-
What Could Derail the Economy This Year?The Letter While the outlook for the U.S. economy is mostly favorable, there are plenty of risks that bear watching.
-
Three Ways President Trump Could Impact the EconomyThe Letter Some of Trump's top priorities could boost economic growth, but others risk fueling inflation.
-
10 Predictions for 2025 from The Kiplinger LetterThe Kiplinger Letter As 2025 arrives, here are our top 10 forecasts for the new year.
-
Europe Faces Economic and Political Headwinds Next YearThe Letter Challenges for Europe: Potential tariffs, high energy prices and more competition from China will weigh on the bloc in 2025.
