US still driving world growth in pharma sales

Global audited sales of pharmaceuticals rose last year by 12% to US$364.2bn(€394.9bn), according to IMS World Review, which tracks actual sales of approximately 90% of all prescription drugs and certain over-the-counter products in more than 70 countries. North America was again the most dynamic region, with 17% growth to $181.8bn (€197.1bn) ; half of all global sales.

'The global pharmaceutical industry experienced sustained robust growth in 2001, despite the economic challenges facing some of the world's leading markets,' said Graham Lewis, IMS vice president, strategic consulting. 'While we expect more moderate sales growth in the US this year, it will continue to grow more quickly than other key markets.'

North America, Europe and Japan accounted for 87% of audited worldwide pharmaceutical consumption in 2001. Europe experienced solid sales growth of 10%, to $88bn (€95bn), while Japan saw moderate growth of 4%, to $47.6bn (€51.6bn). Growth in Latin America was flat, while in Asia (excluding Japan), Africa and Australia sales were up 9% at $27.9bn (€30.3bn).

According to Dr Joe Zammit-Lucia, president of Cambridge Pharma Consultancy, one noticeable trend in 2001 was fewer significant new products reaching the market. Going into 2002, he said, pharma ceos have three priorities:

'The outlook for the industry as a whole remains positive ; but performance will vary significantly among companies,' he said.

The top 10 therapy classes accounted for 32% of the market in 2001. Four of the 10 ; cholesterol and triglyceride reducers, antipsychotics, oral antidiabetics and systemic antihistamines ; grew more than 20%, while sales of antipsychotics and oral antidiabetics were each up 30%. Antiulcerant sales totalled $19.5bn (€21.1bn), and remained the leading therapeutic class worldwide, representing 6% of all audited global pharmaceutical sales.