When it comes to the health care sector, the pharmaceutical industry is one of the biggest. Their functions include research, develop, manufacture, and market medicines and drugs. The pharmaceutical industry also include some big names.
Some of the giants in the industry are Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY), and Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK). Pharmaceutical stocks have really performed well recently, infact, they provided investors with a total return of 14.7% compared to the S&P 500’s total return of 14.3% over the past 12 months.
With all the endless possibles in the pharmaceutical stocks, it is very important for you to know which stocks is ideal for you to invest in. Follow along in this article as we take a look at the pharmaceutical stocks you should invest in at the moment.
- What are the Best Pharmaceutical Stocks?
- What is the Best Stock to Buy Right Now?
- Will Pharma Stock Rise?
- Best Pharma Stocks to Buy in India 2021
- Pharmaceutical Stocks List
- What is The Most Expensive Pharmaceutical Stock?
- What is The Most Expensive Biotech Stock?
- Who is the Number 1 Pharmaceutical Company?
- What are the Top 20 Pharma Companies?
- Which Country Has The Best Pharmaceutical Industry?
- What is the Number One Selling Drug in America?
What are the Best Pharmaceutical Stocks?
Even though this pharmaceutical stocks are rewarding their investors at the moment, we always encourage investors to carry out a full research before investing in any stock of their choice.
Zoetis (ZTS)

Zoetis might not readily come to your mind when investing, but you should know that it very popular on wall street, more than 1 million shares trading hands on an average day. Mind you, this stock wasn’t immune to the novel coronavirus market crash. However, the share-price snapback has been swift and shows few signs of slowing down.
Read Also: 12 Bank Stocks That Wall Street Loves the Most
The company focuses on medicines for animals, and particularly livestock.
As CEO Kristin Peck observes, “There’s less demand for beef and dairy products, while poultry remains strong as people choose less expensive proteins.” Nonetheless, Zoetis had a banner first quarter with revenues of $1.5 billion and adjusted net income of $455 million. If the company can maintain that pace, ZTS stockholders could enjoy robust gains with the next earnings cycle.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN)

REGN stocks are one of the best in the pharmaceutical industry, although they are not so affordable. In recent times, the shares have powered their way from less than $400 to more than $600.
Even with those 50% returns, REGN stock sports a perfectly reasonable trailing 12-month price-earnings ratio of 31.6. Plus, Regeneron’s got a pharmaceutical superstar in the company’s inflammatory disease treatment, Dupixent.
it was announced recently that Dupixent was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use via a convenient 300-milligram, single-dose, pre-filled pen. Available as soon as the third quarter of this year, this pre-filled pen could easily catalyze another leg up for REGN stock.
vTv Therapeutics (VTVT)

The company specializes in the business of developing important treatments for metabolic diseases which afflict millions of individuals. Some of their products that comes to mind includes medical candidates for type 1 diabetes and related dementia and cystic fibrosis, as well as type 2 diabetes, COPD and fatty acid oxidation disorders.
Recent results in a Phase 2 clinical study of a type 1 diabetes symptom treatment were positive. Specifically, the results suggested “the potential for [vTv’s TTP399 therapy] to provide a benefit beyond standalone insulin treatment for patients living with type 1 diabetes.”
With all of this, we have seen VTVT stock surge 50% or more in the past, so traders can certainly hope for a repeat performance.
Gilead Sciences (GILD)

Gilead Science is one of the top companies in this category with 11,800 full-time employees and locations in multiple U.S. states. As for the company’s stock, GILD is a hot commodity with an average daily trading volume in the tens of millions.
Recently, Gilead came into news because of a Covid-19 treatment candidate known as remdesivir. Even folks who don’t trade stocks have often heard of remdesivir. Gilead plans to produce over 2 million remdesivir treatment courses by 2020’s end.
Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day reports that an inhalable version of remdesivir, soon to be in Phase I trials, “could potentially allow for easier administration outside the hospital, at earlier stages of the disease.” With that in mind, traders might anticipate GILD stock breaching the $100 level — or shooting even higher.
Takeda Pharmaceutical (TAK)

Let’s take a quick trip to Japan for a moment and check out TAK stock, which sports a generous forward annual dividend yield of 4.4% along with a low trailing 12-month price-earnings ratio of 23.2.
What makes Takeda Pharmaceutical special? As InvestorPlace analyst Louis Navellier points out, Takeda is “the largest pharma in Asia and one of the top 10 in world by revenue.” And, if you can believe it, Takeda has been in existence since 1781.
And yet, even though it’s an ancient company, Takeda is still a hot topic. Currently there’s a bidding war over Takeda’s Japanese consumer-drug business. It’s been said that this business could be worth as much as 400 billion yen, which would translate to around $3.7 billion. If that’s the case, then don’t be surprised if TAK stock soon pierces the $25 price level.
What is the Best Stock to Buy Right Now?
You might ask, how do you know the best stocks to put your money? Well, the S&P 500 Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S.
To further confirm its popularity, the largest companies here include Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Facebook Inc. (FB), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ). The S&P 500’s total return is 23.0% over the past 12 months.
Below are the best stock that will guarantee you the best value, the fastest earnings growth, and the most momentum.
NRG Energy Inc

NRG Energy is an integrated power company that produces, sells, and distributes energy and provides energy services in the U.S.
Kimco Realty Corp

Kimco Realty Corporation is a real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company owns and operates open-air shopping centers with multiple locations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Kimco Realty owns properties which are usually anchored by a supermarket and big box store that sells day-to-day necessities.
NVIDIA Corp

NVIDIA engages in the design, development, and manufacture of computer graphics processors, chipsets, and related multimedia software. For the company’s Q2 FY 2021, ended July 26, NVIDIA reported rising net income on a 50% jump in revenue. This growth was driven in part by increasing adoption of NVIDIA’s products in video games and luxury vehicles.
Will Pharma Stock Rise?
In the past few years, pharma stocks have really not performed well. Infact, NSE’s Nifty Pharma Index lost 24.6%, even as the Nifty 50 gained 47.96% in the past three years, on a point to point basis. What contributed to this underperformance you might ask.
The reasons for underperformance included USFDA regulatory issues, increasing competition, entry of new players and pricing pressures in the US markets. However, pricing pressures have started to weaken of late, as evident from the increased US sales of some of the biggest Indian pharma major.
For those entering now, there is likely to be some pain in the coming months or years because of the likely downward movement in prices. While for those who wait and pick the bottom, which is likely very soon, will be the biggest beneficiaries.
Similar to the metals sectors which bottomed out in early 2016 and went on to give multi-bagers, Pharma has an opportunity in the waiting.
Best Pharma Stocks to Buy in India 2021
Find below some stocks :
- Reliance Industries Ltd : Reliance Industries Ltd is one of the most reliable Indian company stock for the long term. The company functions in the petrochemicals sector and has a market cap of Rs. 143,323 crores. The dividend yield of the company is .51%. The long past record of distributing dividend among the shareholders makes it a top dividend paying stock.
- Indian Oil Corporation Ltd : Indian Oil Corporation Ltd belongs to the energy sector. It is one of the largest oil and marketing company of India with a market cap of Rs. 132,357.08 crores. The company has a dividend yield of 6.29% and a payout ratio of 66%.
- Infosys Ltd : Infosys Ltd is one of the leading information and technology company of India. The company has a market cap of RS. 271,037.19 crores. The dividend yield of the company is 3.22% with a payout ratio of 9%. Infosys has been a wealth generator for shareholders over the years and it continues to do so. If you are looking for best dividend paying stocks for the long term, Infosys is the right choice.
- ITC Limited : ITC is one of the leading companies in the FMCG sector. The market cap of the company is Rs 344,109.54 crores.
- Britannia Industries Ltd : The company is well known for its various products like biscuits, cheese etc., The company has a market cap of Rs 72036.61 crores. It is another good stock to keep in the portfolio for the long term.
- HDFC Bank : HDFC Bank is India’s largest private sector lender by assets . It is the largest bank in India by market capitalisation .
- Bajaj Finserv : A part of Bajaj Holdings & Investments Limited, is an Indian financial services company focused on lending, asset management , wealth management and insurance. Market capitalisation of Rs 128,585.32 Cr.
Pharmaceutical Stocks List
Below is a list of major Pharmaceutical Stocks trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
S.No. | Name | Ticker |
---|---|---|
1 | Abbott Laboratories | ABT |
2 | AbbVie Inc. | ABBV |
3 | Allergan plc. | AGN |
4 | Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | AMRX |
5 | Arcus Biosciences, Inc. | RCUS |
6 | Astrazeneca PLC | AZN |
7 | Bausch Health Companies Inc. | BHC |
8 | Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. | BHVN |
9 | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | BMY |
10 | Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | BMY |
11 | Catalent, Inc. | CTLT |
12 | Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd | RDY |
13 | Elanco Animal Health Incorporated | ELAN |
14 | Eli Lilly and Company | LLY |
15 | Emergent Biosolutions, Inc. | EBS |
16 | GlaxoSmithKline PLC | GSK |
17 | Johnson & Johnson | JNJ |
18 | Kadmon Holdings, Inc. | KDMN |
19 | Lannett Co Inc | LCI |
20 | Mallinckrodt plc | MNK |
21 | Merck & Company, Inc. | MRK |
22 | Myovant Sciences Ltd. | MYOV |
23 | Novartis AG | NVS |
24 | Novo Nordisk A/S | NVO |
25 | Perrigo Company | PRGO |
26 | Pfizer, Inc. | PFE |
27 | Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc. | PBH |
28 | Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited | TAK |
29 | Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. | TARO |
30 | Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited | TEVA |
31 | Zoetis Inc. | ZTS |
32 | Zymeworks Inc. | ZYME |
33 | Actinium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | ATNM |
34 | AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. | AGE |
35 | Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | AMPE |
36 | BioPharmX Corporation | BPMX |
37 | Can-Fite Biopharma Ltd | CANF |
38 | China Pharma Holdings, Inc. | CPHI |
39 | CorMedix Inc. | CRMD |
40 | iBio, Inc. | IBIO |
41 | Matinas Biopharma Holdings, Inc. | MTNB |
42 | NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | NBY |
43 | Oragenics Inc. | OGEN |
44 | Palatin Technologies, Inc. | PTN |
45 | Pfenex Inc. | PFNX |
46 | Synthetic Biologics, Inc | SYN |
47 | Zomedica Pharmaceuticals Corp. | ZOM |
What is The Most Expensive Pharmaceutical Stock?
With the different options available in the pharmaceutical industry, you might want to carefully consider which pharma stock is best for you. Your definition of expensive might not be the same with other investors. However, one thing is sure.
It is more a factor of how many shares a company has issued than it is a measure of the true valuation of a stock. Some people might look at the trailing-12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. But that metric doesn’t accurately assess the valuation of stocks with fast-growing earnings. It also could be skewed by a one-time impact to earnings over the last 12 months.
With the above facts in mind, below are three pharma stocks that you might consider as expensive.
1. Abiomed
Abiomed stock trades at a whopping 85 times expected earnings. And that’s well below Abiomed’s trailing-12-month P/E ratio of 140. Why does the stock trade at such a premium?
The company’s minimally invasive heart pumps are racking up record sales. In Abiomed’s Q3 results reported in February, revenue for the company’s Impella heart pumps jumped 36% worldwide. International sales soared 94%, thanks largely to rapid growth in Germany.
Wall Street analysts project that Abiomed will grow earnings by 38% annually over the next five years. That doesn’t seem far-fetched at all. Impella heart pumps are used in only 9% of high-risk Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) procedures in the U.S.
Even with strong growth in Germany, Abiomed thinks that it only has a market share of around 12%. Other countries, including Japan, also present great growth opportunities.
Abiomed is also developing new circulatory support products and making enhancements to its existing products. The company’s plan is to “develop a complete portfolio of products across the continuum of care in heart recovery.”
Abiomed does face competition, however, both from other medical device makers and from pharmaceutical companies, which could develop drugs that reduce the need for PCI procedures.
2. Align Technology
Align Technology forward earnings multiple of nearly 44 is a lot less than Abiomed’s, but it’s still very high compared to most stocks. As is the case with Abiomed, though, there’s a reason behind Align’s lofty valuation.
Demand for Align’s Invisalign clear dental aligners has skyrocketed so much that Align ranked as the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 index last year. Invisalign helps straighten teeth like metal-and-wire braces do, but they’re practically invisible.
There are several ways that Align can continue its remarkable growth. First of all, the company only claims around 11% of the current addressable market of orthodontic cases.
The figure is even lower for the teen market, where Align has a market share of roughly 4.5%. Align should be able to capture more of the current market through marketing and international expansion.
However, Align’s strategy isn’t to limit itself to the current addressable market. The company is developing new technology that should enable clear aligners to treat more serious types of malocclusion (misalignment of teeth). Align thinks these efforts will expand the addressable market from 6 million orthodontic cases annually to around 8.5 million.
3. Illumina
Illumina stock currently trades at just under 44 times expected earnings. That sky-high multiple isn’t abnormal for the gene-sequencing pioneer.
Gene sequencing has opened the door to a new era in treating genetic diseases. Illumina was at the forefront, with its technology helping lower the cost for mapping a human genome from $200,000 in 2009 to around $1,000 five years later. The company’s introduction of its NovaSeq system last year offers the potential to reduce the cost to $100 in the future.
The NovaSeq launch has exceeded Illumina’s expectations so far, attracting many customers who are completely new to gene sequencing. Illumina expects most of its existing customers who use its high-throughput HiSeq gene-sequencing system will transition to NovaSeq over the next few years. That should mean the company can count on sustained sales growth for a while to come.
But what about Illumina’s long-term future? It, too, should be bright. A greater focus on precision medicine — the customization of care to an individual’s genetic profile — will require more gene sequencing. Illumina has rivals, but it’s investing heavily in innovation to make sure it stays on top.
What is The Most Expensive Biotech Stock?
Another industry under our discussion is the biotechnology industry, and it includes companies that develop drugs and diagnostic compounds for the treatment of diseases and medical conditions. These products must go through a rigorous, costly, and time-consuming testing process before potentially obtaining approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What this means is that investors may wait for years before knowing whether a drug under development will pay off. The group includes small start-up companies that focus on single drugs as well as large, well-established corporations that generate dozens of potential new drugs each year.
The industry includes big names like Amgen Inc. (AMGN), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN), and Biogen Inc. (BIIB). Biotech stocks, as represented by the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB), have outperformed the broader market, providing investors with a total return of 28.0% compared to the S&P 500’s total return of 13.9% over the past 12 months.
We will now look at three biotech stocks that provides best value, the fastest earnings growth, and the most momentum.
Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc

When we talk of best value, we are referring to biotech stocks with the lowest 12-month trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. Because profits can be returned to shareholders in the form of dividends and buybacks, a low P/E ratio shows you’re paying less for each dollar of profit generated.
One of such stock is Vanda Pharmaceuticals which is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of a portfolio of clinical-stage, small- molecule therapies for central nervous system disorders. The company posted revenue growth of 21.6% for Q1 2020, which ended 31 March 2020. Vanda also announced that it was working on therapies to combat COVID-19.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc

The next category of bio stocks are the fastest growing stocks and they are stocks with the highest year-over-year (YOY) earnings per share (EPS) growth for the most recent quarter. Rising earnings show that a company’s business is growing and is generating more money that it can reinvest or return to shareholders.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals falls into this group. It discovers, develops, and manufactures drugs used in the treatment of conditions including cancer, autoimmune disease, and neurological disorders.
The company reported net income growth of 124% on product revenue growth of 77% for Q1 2020, which ended 31 March 2020. Vertex noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has not had any impact on the continuity of its supply chain for its approved medicines.
Novavax Inc

Biotech stocks with most momentum are stocks with the highest total return over the last 12 months. Some of the companies below are considered penny stocks because they are small in size and typically trade for less than $5 per share.
While these stocks can offer outsized returns they tend to be less liquid and therefore much riskier than non-penny stocks, making them poor candidates for investors with low-risk tolerance. One of such stock is Novavax Inc
Novavax is a clinical stage biotechnology company that creates vaccines to address a wide range of infectious diseases using proprietary virus-like particle (VLP) technology. The company posted a 15.2% decline in revenue and net loss of $25.9 million for Q1 2020, which ended 31 March 2020. The company is working on a vaccine candidate for COVID-19.
Who is the Number 1 Pharmaceutical Company?
A lot of things are considered when trying to deciding top pharmaceutical companies. However, a list has been put together from GlobalData’s pharmaceutical revenue figures, which are based on sales of prescription medicines, including generics drugs. The rankings include historical data from 2011 to 2016 and forecast data for 2017 to 2023. Below is the number one pharmaceutical company.
Pfizer

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) is the 49th-largest public company in the world, according to Forbes. As of Aug. 31, 2020, Pfizer had a market capitalization of $210 billion. Pfizer’s roots date back to 1849, when two German-American entrepreneurs started the company as a fine chemicals business and grew it into a world-leading pharmaceuticals company that manufactures, markets, and distributes over 200 drugs in the United States.
In 2018, Pfizer has come under scrutiny for raising the prices of 100 of the company’s drugs. That July, Donald Trump also singled out Pfizer in a tweet, claiming that the company is “merely taking advantage of the poor & others unable to defend themselves.”
Fast forward to 2020, and Pfizer is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies working on a COVID-19 vaccine and made news headlines after sealing a deal with the U.S. government for 100 million doses of its future vaccine.
What are the Top 20 Pharma Companies?
GlobalData is an authority in providing reliable statistics and data, at such below are the top 20 pharma companies.
1. Johnson & Johnson. $372.2 billion. The company’s market cap grew 7.5% from the previous quarter. Today, the pharma giant was ordered to pay a Pennsylvania man an $8 billion settlement over claims he wasn’t warned that his antipsychotic drug, Risperdal, would cause him to develop breasts.
The drug is prescribed to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, but is also used as a sleeping medication, which is what Nicholas Murray was prescribed it for as a minor.
2. Roche. $239.6 billion. An increase of 12.7% from Q4 2018. On September 30, the company announced positive data from its Phase III IMvigor130 trial of Tecentriq (atezolizumab) plus platinum-based chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone for first-line treatment of untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) eligible and ineligible for cisplatin chemotherapy. It showed a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS).
3. Pfizer. $235.8 billion. A decrease of 6.9% from the previous quarter. On September 27, the company’s executive chairman Ian C. Read announced his retirement on December 31, 2019. He will be succeeded by Albert Bourla, who replaced Read as chief executive officer on January 1, 2019.
4. Novartis. $226.3 billion. An increase of 14%. On October 9, the company announced that a study of real-world evidence (RWE) confirmed the high efficacy and long-term response of Cosentyx (secukinumab) in a variety of immune disorders, including psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
5. Merck. $213.3 billion. An increase of 7.3%. On October 8, Merck partnered with UK-based 4D Pharma to develop three Live Biotherapeutics-based vaccines.
6. Eli Lilly. $133.6 billion. An increase of 9.0% from the previous quarter. On October 7, Lilly announced data from its Phase III RELAY trial of Cyramza (ramucirumab) in previously untreated patients with metastatic EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The patients receiving the drug showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to erlotinib alone.
7. Novo Nordisk. $132.1 billion. An increase of 17%. On September 20, the FDA approved the company’s Rybelsus (semaglutide) tablets 7 mg or 14 mg for adults with type 2 diabetes. It is the first and only glucagon-like peptide-1 analog in a pill.
8. AbbVie. $119.1 billion. A drop of 14.7% from the previous quarter. In June 2019, AbbVie announced it was buying Dublin-based Allergan for $63 billion.
9. Amgen. $116.8 billion. A decrease of 5.9% from the previous quarter. On September 27, Amgen announced new data from its ongoing Phase I trial of AMG 510 in patients with previously treated KRAS G12C-mutant solid tumors.
“KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human tumors,” said David M. Reese, Amgen’s executive vice president of Research and Development. “Although KRASG12C has been a formidable target for nearly four decades, we can now report responses in patients with non-small cell lung, colorectal and appendiceal cancers.”
10. Sanofi. $115.7 billion. An increase of 3.9% from the previous quarter. In mid-September, Sanofi teamed with Abbott to integrate glucose sensing and insulin delivery technologies to help people manage their diabetes.
11. GlaxoSmithKline. $105.7 billion. An increase of 7.2% from the previous quarter. On October 8, GlaxoSmithKline entered a five-year collaboration pact with Lyell Immunopharma to develop new technologies to improve cell therapies for cancer. It will apply Lyell’s technology to strengthen GSK’s cell therapy pipeline, including GSK3377794, which targets the NY-ESO-1 antigen seen in a wide variety of cancers.
12. AstraZeneca. $103.7 billion. Increased 4.5% from the fourth quarter of 2018. On October 4, the FDA approved the self-administration of the company’s Fasenra (benralizumab) in a pre-filled, single-use auto-injector called the Fasenra Pen for eosinophilic asthma. It was supported with data from the Phase III GRECO trial and the Phase I AMES trial.
13. Gilead Sciences. $81.2 billion. Up by 0.3% from the previous quarter. On October 3, the FDA approved Gilead’s pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) indication for Descovy to prevent HIV.
14. Bristol-Myers Squibb. $78.1 billion. Down 7.9% from the fourth quarter of 2019. In April 2019, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s shareholders voted to approve the acquisition of Celgenefor approximately $74 billion. The merger deal has been drawing out, requiring the sale of some of its assets to meet Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirements for non-competition laws. This includes Celgene’s Otezla (apremilast) for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Bristol-Myers has a rival TYK2 psoriasis drug in Phase III trials called BMS-986165.
15. CSL. $65.9 billion. Increased 5.4% from the previous quarter. On August 7, CSL announced plans to build new laboratories and offices for its global corporate headquarters in Melbourne, Australia.
16. Takeda Pharmaceuticals. $53.4. This marks an increase of 141.8% from the previous quarter. On September 30, Takeda was recognized by Working Mother as one of the 2019 100 Best Companies, chosen for providing inclusive benefits for families including gender-neutral parental bonding leave, flexible work options, leadership development programs, and programs to support caregivers.
17. Bayer. $63.4 billion. This is a drop of 4.9% from the previous quarter. On October 1, Bayer and Boston-based Arvinas finalized the terms of their joint venture, Oerth Bio, and named John Dombrosky as its chief executive officer. Oerth will focus on targeted protein degradation to improve crop yields.
18. Celgene. $61.4 billion. Increased 37.1% from the fourth quarter 2018. On September 12, Celgene announced topline results from its Phase III QUAZAR AML-001 trial of CC-486 in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia who achieved first complete response (CR) or complete response with incomplete blood count recover (CRi) with induction chemotherapy. The drug showed a highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival compared to placebo.
19. Merck KGaA. $52.2 billion. Increased 13% from Q4 2018. Not to be confused with U.S.-based Merck & Co., Darmstadt, Germany-based Merck KGaA announced on October 7 it had completed the merger of Versum Materials for 5.8 billion euros. This business combination will make Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading electronic materials company focused on semiconductors and display industries.
20. Allergan. $48.7 billion. Increased 8.1% from Q4 2018 to Q1 2019. The biggest news since the June announcement that AbbVie was acquiring the company, is an October 7 statement that the company is launching three new over-the-counter REFRESH RELIEVA products for contact lens wearers.
Which Country Has The Best Pharmaceutical Industry?
The global pharmaceutical industry is an important aspect of the world economy today, providing about one trillion US dollars in revenues annually. The American pharmaceutical industry accounts for about 40% of these revenues.
However, China is fast catching up as having the fastest growth in the industry. European pharmaceuticals have also shown high revenues in prescription sales.
Rank | Country | Value of Pharmaceutical Market (in millions of $) |
---|---|---|
1 | USA | 339,694 |
2 | Japan | 94,025 |
3 | China | 86,774 |
4 | Germany | 45,828 |
5 | France | 37,156 |
6 | Brazil | 30,670 |
7 | Italy | 27,930 |
8 | UK | 24,513 |
9 | Canada | 21,353 |
10 | Spain | 20,741 |
What is the Number One Selling Drug in America?
Humira tops the list despite growing biosimilar competition, while Opdivo and Keytruda, the new-age checkpoint inhibitors for cancer have grown in terms of market share and revenue generation since their approval in 2014. Pharmaceutical-technology.com lists the top-selling prescription drugs based on sales.
Humira (adalimumab) – $19.9bn

Humira is Abbvie’s single largest product and its net sales grew by 7% worldwide in 2018, despite the launch of biosimilars in various parts of the world. The drug accounted for approximately 61% of the total net revenues of the company in 2018.
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The growth is primarily attributed to an increase in the market across different therapeutic indications and geographies as well as favourable pricing in various geographies.
Humira is approved for the treatment of several autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
It is also approved in Japan for the treatment of intestinal Behcet’s disease and commercialised in various other markets worldwide such as China, Brazil and Australia.