This increase is mainly attributed to greater access to medicines by the world’s rapidly expanding middle class, together with stronger economic prospects in developed nations. However, biologicals may also be attributing to this trend, with spending on biologicals having almost doubled since 2007 and growth outstripping that of total sales of pharmaceuticals by a significant margin, see Figure 1 [1].

Figure 1: Biologicals sales 2007–2013

Source: IMS Health, MIDAS, MAT June 2013

When this is broken down into regions it can be seen that in some regions of the world biologicals make up an even greater percentage of both pharmaceutical sales and growth, see Figure 2.

Figure 2: Biologicals market share

Source: IMS Health, MIDAS, MAT June 2013
EU5: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK; ROW: Rest of world; Pharmerging: Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam.

The increasing cost of medicines, and especially biologicals, is putting increasing strain on healthcare budgets, but represents an opportunity for lower-cost biosimilars.

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Biologicals dominate Europe’s best sellers

Reference

1. Sheppard A. Biological/biotechnological and biosimilars market: the global outlook with special focus on Europe. 12th EGA International Biosimilar Medicines Conference; 3-4 April 2014; London, UK.

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