IMS HEALTH data from its annual World Review report shows that audited global pharmaceutical sales grew 10% at a constant dollar rate in 2000, to reach $317.2 billion - up from $295.9 billion in 1999.
IMS HEALTH's World Review tracks actual sales of approximately 90% of all prescription drugs and certain over-the-counter (OTC) products in more than 60 countries. Proprietary data projection methodologies are used to estimate total global pharmaceutical sales, which grew to $354 billion in 2000.
"The global pharmaceutical industry experienced solid growth in 2000, although growth rates vary greatly from region to region," said Graham Lewis, IMS HEALTH vice president, strategic consulting.
"North America is by far the most dynamic pharmaceutical market in the world, with 14% growth in 2000. We expect overall strong growth to continue in view of the many innovative compounds under development, and the increasing speed of worldwide product launches."
World Review is compiled using IMS HEALTH's MIDAS global analysis system, which captures pharmaceutical activity from more than 60 countries. Growth in sales is measured in local currencies enabling analyses without the influence of fluctuating currency exchange rates. Pharmaceutical sales figures include prescription and certain OTC data, and represent manufacturer prices.
Leading regions
North America, Europe and Japan accounted for more than 88% of worldwide pharmaceutical consumption in 2000.
Global pharmaceutical sales in 2000 by region
World Audited Market | 2000 Sales (US$Bn) | % Global Sales | % Growth Year-over-Year* | | North America | 152.8 | 48.2% | 14% | | Europe | 75.3 | 23.7 | 8 | | Japan | 51.5 | 16.2 | 3 | | Latin America | 18.9 | 6.0 | 9 | | Asia, Africa and Australia | 18.7 | 5.9 | 10 | | TOTAL | $317.2 | 100% | 10% |
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Source: World Review 2001 (*Growth measured in constant US dollars)
Sales cover direct and indirect pharmaceutical channel purchases from pharmaceutical wholesalers and manufacturers. Figures include prescription and certain OTC data, exclude US home healthcare sales, and represent manufacturer prices.
North American pharmaceutical sales grew 14% to $152.8 billion, representing more than 48% of total global pharmaceutical sales in 2000. Europe also showed solid growth of 8% to $75.3 billion, becoming the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market. Japan is now the third-largest market, experiencing moderate year-over-year growth of 3%.
Strong growth opportunities are reflected in the 9% increase in Latin American pharmaceutical sales in 2000, and 10% pharmaceutical growth in Asia (excluding Japan), Africa and Australia.
Leading therapy classes
The top ten therapy classes accounted for 31% of the total world market in 2000. Four out of the leading ten - cholesterol and triglyceride reducers, antirheumatic non-steroidals, antipsychotics and oral antidiabetics - grew more than 20% year-over-year.
The antiulcerant class totaled $17.4 billion in sales in 2000, and remains the leading therapeutic class worldwide, as it has for the past ten years. Representing 5.5% of all audited global pharmaceutical sales, antiulcerant sales were up 13% from 1999. AstraZeneca's Losec/Prilosec (omeprazole), the world's leading antiulcerant product and number one selling drug, accounted for $6.1 billion, or 35%, of all sales in this class.
Cholesterol and triglyceride reducers grew 21%, placing the class second in sales rankings. Antidepressants, the third-ranked therapy class, experienced 18% sales growth in 2000, to $13.4 billion in annual sales.
Leading therapy classes in 2000 global pharmaceutical sales Rank | Audited World Therapy Class | 2000 Sales (US$Bn) | % Global Sales | % Growth Year-over-Year* | 1 | Antiulcerants | 17.4 | 5.5% | 13% | 2 | Cholest & Triglyceride Reducers | 15.9 | 5.0 | 21 | 3 | Antidepressants | 13.4 | 4.2 | 18 | 4 | Calcium Antagonists, Plain | 9.8 | 3.1 | 2 | 5 | Antirheumatic Non-Steroidals | 9.5 | 3.0 | 26 | 6 | ACE Inhibitors, Plain | 7.3 | 2.3 | 3 | 7 | Cephalosporins & Combinations | 6.9 | 2.2 | -5 | 8 | Antipsychotics | 6.0 | 1.9 | 22 | 9 | Non-Narcotic Analgesics | 6.0 | 1.9 | 3 | 10 | Oral Antidiabetics | 5.9 | 1.9 | 26 | | | Total Leading 10 ATCs at Level 3 | $98.2 | 31.0% | +13% |
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Source: World Review 2001 (*Growth measured in constant US dollars)
Leading products
Within the total audited world market, Losec/Prilosec is the top-selling drug, with $6.1 billion in 2000 sales and 9% growth. Pfizer's cholesterol drug Lipitor, ranked number two, experienced the largest year-over-year growth in sales, totaling $5.4 billion in 2000, a 44% increase. Merck & Co's cholesterol-lowering drug Zocor is ranked third, with $4.4 billion in sales and 15% growth.
Of the top 10 best-selling drugs in 2000, the fastest-growing product worldwide was Pharmacia Corporation's Celebrex, which treats adult osteoarthritis and was launched in early 1999 in collaboration with Pfizer. Celebrex generated $2.4 billion in sales in 2000, up 65% from 1999.
Global pharmaceutical sales in 2000 - leading products Rank | Audited World Product Sales | 2000 Sales (US$Bn) | % Global Sales | % Growth Year-over-Year | 1 | Losec/Prilosec | 6.1 | 1.9% | 9% | 2 | Lipitor | 5.4 | 1.7 | 44% | 3 | Zocor | 4.4 | 1.4 | 15% | 4 | Norvasc | 3.3 | 1.1 | 15% | 5 | Ogastro/Prevacid | 3.1 | 1.0 | 33% | 6 | Prozac | 2.9 | 0.9 | -1% | 7 | Seroxat/Paxil | 2.4 | 0.8 | 20% | 8 | Zyprexa | 2.4 | 0.8 | 30% | 9 | Celebrex | 2.4 | 0.7 | 65% | 10 | Zoloft | 2.2 | 0.7 | 12% | | | Total 10 Leading Products | $34.5 | 10.9% | +21% |
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Source: World Review 2001 (*Growth measured in constant US dollars)
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