Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies

Pharma is one of the most profitable businesses. According to GlobalData, the global pharmaceutical market in 2018 amounted to $952.5 billion. Pharmaceutical companies spend more than $100 billion a year on research and development to offer patients new treatments. The US FDA approved 55 new drugs in 2018. Here, Trusted Tablets selects the 10 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world in terms of revenue.

The largest pharmaceutical companies in the world

The global pharmaceutical industry is expected to grow in the near future as companies produce innovative medications to combat severe diseases and medical conditions. Increased attention to health in emerging markets in Asia, Africa and South America will also promote growth in the coming years.

The rating below is based on revenue earned by leading pharmaceutical companies in 2018. We took into account only revenues from the pharmaceutical segment of companies. For example, Johnson&Johnson’s total revenue in 2018 was $81.6 billion, but the pharmaceutical segment accounted for only $40.7 billion. Thus, it was valued based on its pharmaceutical division in the amount of $40.7 billion.

Another example is the German chemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG, which earned $45.3 billion in 2018. This is enough to put it in the top 10 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. But only $19.1 billion of its revenue in 2018 fell on the pharmaceutical segment, which is not enough to take a place in the top 10 rating.

Top 10 Pharma Companies

Pfizer

Pfizer is the largest pharmaceutical company in the world in revenue, earning $53.60 billion in revenue in 2018. The company’s portfolio covers many areas of medicine, including oncology, immunology, cardiology, neurology and endocrinology. One of his most successful drugs is Celebrex, Viagra, Lipitor and Diflucan. In December 2018, Pfizer announced it would merge its healthcare division with GlaxoSmithKline. The new company is called GSK Consumer Healthcare, in which Pfizer owns a 32% shares.

Hoffmann-la roche

Widely known as Roche, the Swiss company received revenue of $56.86 billion in 2018, compared with $57.37 billion in 2017. It has two divisions – pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. The pharmaceutical division brought $45.6 billion in revenue in 2018. In February 2019, Roche announced it would acquire Spark Therapeutics gene therapy company for $4.3 billion.

Johnson&Johnson

Johnson&Johnson has three main segments in its business: pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer goods. The company’s revenue was $81.6 billion in 2018, compared with $76.5 billion in 2017. The pharmaceutical division contributed $40.7 billion in total revenue, and the medical equipment division contributed $27 billion. Its pharmaceutical segment develops and markets drugs in the field of oncology, immunology, infectious diseases and neurology.

Sanofi

The French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi is one of the few companies on this list to have revenue declining in 2018 compared to the previous year. Sanofi’s revenue in 2018 was $39.7 billion, compared with $42.9 billion in 2017. It develops and markets drugs in 7 therapeutic areas – diabetes, cardiovascular disease, internal medicine, central nervous system, oncology, vaccines and thrombosis.

Merck&Co

Founded in 1891, Merck&Co is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world with revenue of $39.7 billion in 2018. The total revenue of the company amounted to $42.3 billion, which is 5% over than in the previous year. This company develops drugs, biologicals, and vaccines in therapeutic areas such as oncology, cardiovascular, and endocrinology.

Novartis

In 2018, a Swiss pharmaceutical company received revenue of$ 51.90 billion. $34.9 billion of this funds was gained in the pharmaceutical business. Novartis also sells patient care products. It spends about 20% of its income on research and development. Its portfolio includes such popular drugs as Diovan, Exforge, Gilenya, Lucentis and Gleevec. Novartis is currently in the process of separating its Alcon eye care business into a separate company that will focus on its core pharmaceutical business.

Abbvie

AbbVie, based in the USA, is an innovative pharmaceutical manufacturer specializing in oncology, immunology and virology. It was formed in 2013 when Abbott Laboratories split into two companies, separated from AbbVie. The company’s revenue in 2018 amounted to $32.75 billion compared to $28.22 billion in 2017. Several promising drugs are under development, including Upadacitinib, which is used to treat atopic dermatitis. Its best known drugs are Humira, Imbruvica, Venclexta and Zinbryta.

Amgen

Amgen revenue totaled $23.7 billion in 2018. Founded in 1980, Amgen has created an extensive portfolio of innovative drugs such as Repatha, Prolia, Neulasta, Neupogen, Enbrel and Epogen. The focus is on oncology, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases and neurology.

GlaxoSmithKline

The English company GlaxoSmithKline was formed in 2000 after the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. The company’s revenue was $43.14 billion in 2018, but only $23 billion came from the pharmaceutical segment. Consumer goods and vaccine production contributed the remainder of total revenue. GSK has an extensive portfolio of innovative products such as Avodart, Trivicay, Advair, Flovent and Lovaza. GSK acquired Tesaro in the United States to strengthen its cancer portfolio.

Bristol-Myers Squibb

New York’s Bristol-Myers Squibb revenue for 2018 was $22.56 billion, compared to $20.78 billion in 2017. It produces prescription drugs and biologicals in many therapeutic areas, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, oncology, hepatitis and mental disorders. It is currently in the process of acquiring Celgene for $74 billion, one of the largest acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry in history.

Category: Health-wellness

Tags: human health, medications, pharmacy