The Truth About

America's Top Selling Drugs in 2021

Drug patents are being abused, driving unsustainable health care costs. Until now, transparent patent and market information has not been available to the public in one simple and easy resource.

Highlights

  • 10 Drugs

    Top Selling
    in America in 2021

  • 700+ Patents

    On these 10 drugs
    restrict competition

  • 66%

    Patents filed after
    FDA approval

Drug Total Patent
Applications
# Patents
Granted
% Filed after
FDA Approval
Duration of
Patent
Protection
Patent
Applications in
U.S. vs EU
Patents
Granted in
U.S. vs EU
Total Price
Increase Since
Launch (WAC)
Total 5yr
Price Increase
(WAC, 2016-2021)
5yr Price
Increase vs
Inflation, Multiple
Medicare Avg.
Annual Growth
Rate in
Spending per
Dosage Unit
(2017-2021)
Overall U.S.
Spend 2021
Rank
Medicare Top
12 Total
Spending Rank
(2021)
Medicare +
Medicaid
Top 12 Total
Spending Rank
(2021)
Medicare
Spending per
Beneficiary
(2021)
Total U.S.
Revenues Since
Launch
($ billions)
% of Co.'s
2021 U.S.
Pharma
Revenue
First U.S./FDA
Approval Date
First
Europe/EMA
Approval Date
First Generic/
Biosimilar on the
U.S. Market
First Generic/
Biosimilar on the
EU market
Drug
(Nonproprietary
Name)
Company Primary Condition
Treated
Drug Type
Humira 311 165 92% 43.3 3.0 6.4 506% 60% 4.6x 7.8% 1 4 5 $56,752 $128.6 40% 12-2002 9-2003 1-2023 10-2018 adalimumab AbbVie Arthritis Biologic
Keytruda 180 78 62% 37.3 1.3 1.7 19% 14% 1.1x 0.2% 2 7 8 $63,131 $32.1 48% 9-2014 7-2015 pembrolizumab Merck Cancer Biologic
Revlimid 206 117 74% 42.9 2.6 4.0 287% 56% 4.4x 7.6% 3 2 2 $129,242 $61.4 30% 12-2005 6-2007 3-2022 2-2022 lenalidomide Bristol-Myers Squibb (Celgene) Multiple Myeloma Small Molecule
Biktarvy 73 44 12% 49 1.9 2.3 21% 15% 1.2x 6.1% 4 - 7 $33,147 $20.2 37% 2-2018 6-2018 bictegravir Gilead HIV Small Molecule
Eliquis 43 22 37% 34.1 2.4 2.4 112% 50% 3.9x 7.3% 5 1 1 $4,024 $29.0 22% 12-2012 5-2011 5-2022 apixaban Bristol-Myers Squibb (Celgene) Stroke/ Embolism Small Molecule
Stelara 76 39 75% 39.5 1.9 2.8 171% 44% 3.4x 6.5% 6 - - $97,022 $30.4 21% 9-2009 1-2009 ustekinumab Johnson & Johnson Psoriasis Biologic
Eylea 134 91 66% 44.3 3.6 7.7 - - 0.0x -1.4% 7 9 10 $11,030 $34.7 48% 11-2011 11-2012 aflibercept Regeneron/ Bayer Macular Degeneration Biologic
Trulicity 57 15 86% 35.8 1.2 1.5 82% 47% 3.7x 7% 8 8 6 $7,083 $18.3 29% 9-2014 11-2014 dulaglutide Eli Lilly Diabetes Biologic
Enbrel 154 74 90% 49.7 1.8 4.1 617% 54% 4.2x 8.3% 9 - - $50,159 $75.9 24% 11-1998 2-2000 2-2016 etanercept Amgen Arthritis Biologic
Imbruvica 195 96 62% 29.2 4.1 8.0 94% 57% 4.4x 35.7% 10 11 11 $120,958 $21.5 10% 11-2013 10-2014 ibrutinib AbbVie / Johnson & Johnson Cancer Small Molecule
Average 142.9 74.1 66% 40.5 2.4x 4.1 212% 44% 3.1x 9% $57,255 $45.2 31%

Numbers in pink font indicate above the average for the 10 drugs

  • This is a list of America’s ten top selling drugs with the highest net sales revenue (in millions) in 2021, as reported by manufacturer in SEC filings or earnings reports
  • Patent data reflects all relevant patents identified upto May/June 2022
  • All methods are available here

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America's Top-Selling Drugs

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