The 50 best-selling pharmaceuticals of 2022: COVID-19 vaccines poised to take a step back

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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the best-selling pharmaceuticals, leading to shifts in the list with Pfizer and BioNTech’s Comirnaty surpassing AbbVie’s Humira for the No. 1 spot in 2021. That momentum continued in 2022, with Pfizer and BioNTech jointly raking in $59.1 billion in revenue from the sales of the COVID-19 vaccine. Although Comirnaty maintained its position as the best-selling pharmaceutical of 2022, it experienced a roughly 5% drop in sales compared to the previous year.

As the best-selling pharmaceuticals of 2022 demonstrate, signs are emerging that the reign of COVID-19 vaccines and  other therapies appears to be slipping.. The two companies — and Moderna — plan on hiking prices to address the weakening demand.

Humira: The second best-selling pharmaceutical of 2022 looking strong

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  • April 18, 2023
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As COVID-19 threats become endemic, a potential silver lining for pharma

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Reality is beginning to sink in. Despite the availability of a growing number of COVID-19 vaccines and other therapies, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is likely to become endemic in the medium term, if not longer.

A handful of coronaviruses — among them strains of NL63, OC43, 229E and HKU1 — are already endemic.

For drug developers, an endemic SARS-CoV-2 could have significant implications. While effective COVID-19 vaccines will likely enable developed nations to roll back coronavirus-related restrictions, demand for new COVID-19 treatments and vaccines could remain elevated for years.

More than 300 COVID-19 therapies are now in development. This year alone, Moderna (NSDQ:MRNA) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) could rake in $32 billion in COVID-19 vaccine sales, according to Morgan Stanley.

The pandemic has already changed many people’s view of the pharmaceutical industry, accord…

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  • February 9, 2021
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