The World's Best-selling Medicines

Sales of prescription medicines worldwide rose 7% to $602 billion, according to IMS health, a pharmaceutical information and consulting company. The United States still accounts for the lion's share of that, with $252 billion in annual sales, but sales in it and the other nine biggest markets grew by only 5.7%. But emerging markets such as China, Russia, South Korea and Mexico outpaced those markets, growing a whopping 81%.
Pfizer's cholesterol pill Lipitor remains the best-selling drug in the world for the fifth year in a row. Its annual sales were $12.9 billion, more than twice as much as its closest competitors: Plavix, the blood thinner from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis; Nexium, the heartburn pill from AstraZeneca and Advair, the asthma inhaler from GlaxoSmithKline. erectile dysfunction treatments

The following is a list of the top 100 pharmaceutical products ranked by sales.

Brand Name(s) Company(ies) Disease/Medical Use First Approval Date
1 Lipitor Pfizer, Astellas Pharma Cholesterol Dec-1996
2 Advair, Seretide GlaxoSmithKline Asthma Aug-2000
3 Plavix, Iscover Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sanofi-Aventis Thrombotic events Nov-1997
4 Nexium AstraZeneca Gastrointestinal disorders Mar-2000
5 Norvasc Pfizer Hypertension Jul-1992
6 Remicade Johnson & Johnson, Schering-Plough, Tanabe Rheumatoid arthritis Aug-1998
7 Enbrel Amgen, Wyeth Rheumatoid arthritis Nov-1998
8 Zyprexa Eli Lilly Schizophrenia Sep-1996
9 Diovan Novartis Hypertension Dec-1996
10 Risperdal Johnson & Johnson Schizophrenia Dec-1993
11 Aranesp Amgen Anemia Jun-2001
12 Rituxan, MabThera Roche, Genentech, Biogen Idec, Chugai Pharmaceutical Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Nov-1997
13 Effexor Wyeth Depression, Anxiety disorders Dec-1993
14 Protonix, Pantozol, Pantoloc Wyeth, Altana, Solvay Gastrointestinal disorders Feb-2000
15 Singulair Merck & Co. Asthma Feb-1998
16 Seroquel AstraZeneca, Astellas Pharma Schizophrenia Sep-1997
17 Prevacid, Takepron TAP Pharmaceuticals, Takeda Pharmaceutical Gastrointestinal disorders May-1995
18 Procrit, Eprex Johnson & Johnson Anemia Dec-1990
19 Cozaar, Hyzaar Merck & Co. Hypertension Apr-1995
20 Fosamax Merck & Co. Osteoporosis Sep-1995
21 Herceptin Roche, Genentech, Chugai Pharmaceutical Breast cancer Sep-1998
22 Lovenox, Clexane Sanofi-Aventis Deep-vein thrombosis Mar-1993
23 Avandia, Avandamet, Avandaryl GlaxoSmithKline Type 2 diabetes May-1999
24 Actos Takeda Pharmaceutical, Eli Lilly Type 2 diabetes Jul-1999
25 Zocor Merck & Co. Cholesterol Dec-1991
26 Copaxone Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Sanofi-Aventis Multiple sclerosis Dec-1996
27 AcipHex, Pariet Eisai, Johnson & Johnson Gastrointestinal disorders Aug-1999
28 Neulasta Amgen Neutropenia Jan-2002
29 Lexapro, Cipralex Forest Laboratories, H. Lundbeck Depression, Anxiety disorders Aug-2002
30 Gleevec, Glivec Novartis Leukemia May-2001
31 Ambien, Stilnox Sanofi-Aventis Insomnia Dec-1992
32 Aricept Eisai, Pfizer Alzheimer’s disease Nov-1996
33 Epogen Amgen Anemia Jun-1989
34 Zyrtec, Cirrus Pfizer, UCB, Daiichi Sankyo Allergic rhinitis Dec-1995
35 Avapro, Aprovel, Avalide Sanofi-Aventis, Bristol-Myers Squibb Hypertension Sep-1997
36 Avastin Roche, Genentech Colorectal cancer Feb-2004
37 Taxotere Sanofi-Aventis Cancer Oct-1995
38 Eloxatin, Eloxatine Sanofi-Aventis Colorectal cancer Aug-2002
39 Zoloft Pfizer Depression, Anxiety disorders Dec-1991
40 Tamiflu Roche, Chugai Pharmaceutical Influenza Oct-1999
41 Lantus Sanofi-Aventis Type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes Apr-2000
42 Crestor AstraZeneca, Shionogi Cholesterol Nov-2002
43 Humira Abbott Laboratories Rheumatoid arthritis Dec-2002
44 Celebrex Pfizer Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis Dec-1998
45 Topamax Johnson & Johnson Seizures Dec-1996
46 Prevnar Wyeth Pneumococcal disease Feb-2000
47 Vytorin Merck & Co., Schering-Plough Cholesterol Jul-2004
48 Zetia Merck & Co., Schering-Plough Cholesterol Oct-2002
49 Wellbutrin GlaxoSmithKline, Biovail Depression, Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) Aug-2003
50 Abilify Otsuka Pharmaceutical, Bristol-Myers Squibb Schizophrenia Nov-2002
51 Lamictal GlaxoSmithKline Seizures Dec-1994
52 Toprol, Seloken AstraZeneca Hypertension Jan-1992
53 NeoRecormon, Epogin Roche, Chugai Pharmaceutical Anemia Jul-1997
54 Atacand, Blopress Takeda Pharmaceutical, AstraZeneca Hypertension Oct-1997
55 Spiriva Boehringer Ingelheim Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Apr-2002
56 Avonex Biogen Idec Multiple sclerosis May-1996
57 Viagra Pfizer Erectile dysfunction Mar-1998
58 Micardis Boehringer Ingelheim, Astellas Pharma Hypertension Nov-1998
59 Actonel Procter & Gamble, Sanofi-Aventis Osteoporosis Mar-1998
60 Lupron, Leuplin Takeda Pharmaceutical, TAP Pharmaceuticals Prostate cancer Jan-1989
61 TriCor, Lipanthyl Abbott Laboratories, Solvay Cholesterol Feb-1998
62 Zofran GlaxoSmithKline Nausea and vomiting Dec-1992
63 Valtrex GlaxoSmithKline Herpes Jun-1995
64 Levaquin, Floxin Johnson & Johnson Bacterial infections Dec-1996
65 Arimidex AstraZeneca Breast cancer Dec-1995
66 Prograf Astellas Pharma Transplant rejection Apr-1993
67 CellCept Roche, Chugai Pharmaceutical Transplant rejection May-1995
68 Xalatan, Xalacom Pfizer Intraocular pressure Jun-1996
69 Rebif Serono Multiple sclerosis Feb-1998
70 Coreg GlaxoSmithKline Hypertension Sep-1995
71 Gemzar Eli Lilly Cancer May-1996
72 Prilosec, Losec AstraZeneca Gastrointestinal disorders Sep-1989
73 Benicar, Olmetec Daiichi Sankyo, Forest Laboratories Hypertension Apr-2002
74 Lotrel Novartis Hypertension Jun-1999
75 Cymbalta Eli Lilly Depression, Anxiety disorders Aug-2004
76 Imitrex, Imigran GlaxoSmithKline Migraine Dec-1992
77 Depakote Abbott Laboratories Seizures Mar-1983
78 Humalog Eli Lilly Diabetes Apr-1996
79 Duragesic Johnson & Johnson Pain Aug-1990
80 Pulmicort AstraZeneca Asthma Jun-1997
81 Zometa Novartis Hypercalcemia Aug-2000
82 Betaseron, Betaferon Schering AG Multiple sclerosis Jul-1993
83 Delix, Tritace Sanofi-Aventis Hypertension Jul-2000
84 Flovent, Flixotide GlaxoSmithKline Asthma Mar-1996
85 Neupogen Amgen Neutropenia Feb-1991
86 Casodex AstraZeneca Prostate cancer Oct-1995
87 Pravachol Bristol-Myers Squibb Cholesterol Oct-1991
88 Truvada Gilead Sciences HIV infection Aug-2004
89 Symbicort AstraZeneca Asthma Aug-2000
90 Pegasys Roche, Chugai Pharmaceutical Hepatitis C Jun-2002
91 Evista Eli Lilly, Chugai Pharmaceutical Osteoporosis Dec-1997
92 Flomax Boehringer Ingelheim Benign prostatic hypertrophy Oct-1997
93 Lyrica Pfizer Neuropathic pain Jul-2004
94 Paxil, Seroxat GlaxoSmithKline Depression, Anxiety disorders Dec-1992
95 Kaletra Abbott Laboratories HIV infection Mar-2001
96 Detrol Pfizer Overactive bladder Mar-1998
97 Harnal Astellas Pharma Benign prostatic hypertrophy Jul-1992
98 Erbitux Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck KGaA Colorectal cancer Feb-2004
99 Synagis MedImmune Respiratory syncytial virus Jun-1998
100 Augmentin GlaxoSmithKline Bacterial infections Aug-1984