Mewburn Ellis works with some of the world’s most important pharmaceuticals and biologics across a broad range of therapeutic areas.
The sector performed exceptionally well in 2024, with the top 200 bestselling pharmaceuticals having combined sales in excess of $650 billion: an 11% increase year-on-year.
Leading the list once again is the anti-PD-1 antibody Keytruda®. The top 10 includes therapeutics for diverse indications, from blood thinners (Eliquis®) and asthma treatments (Dupixent®) to HIV medications (Biktarvy®) and anti-inflammatories (Skyrizi® and Stelara®).
Mewburn Ellis has a large team of biologic and pharmaceutical sector IP specialists. We have extensive experience working with some of the world’s most globally significant pharmaceuticals, including 36 of the top 200 bestsellers in 2024.
Limelight for weight loss drugs
Weight loss medications have been in the spotlight this year and have transformed the way we think about treating obesity and related conditions such as diabetes. Wegovy® and Mounjaro® has combined sales of nearly $20 billion in 2024, while Ozempic® had sales of more than $16 billion alone. A standout new entrant, Zepbound® – which was only approved for treating weight loss in November 2023 – has already surged to 36th place among the top 200 bestselling pharmaceuticals. The movement is showing no signs of slowing down, and we can expect GLP-1 receptor agonists to feature heavily among the top-selling pharmaceuticals for 2025.
Specialists in Oncology therapies
At Mewburn Ellis, we are proud to support the intellectual property behind several high profile cancer therapeutics, including Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo®, Yervoy®, and Sprycel®, as well as Genentech’s Perjeta®, Kadcyla®, Phesgo®, Herceptin®, and Avastin®.
In 2025, Opdivo® received approval for a new injectable formulation in the US and Europe. This new method of administration, which takes less than five minutes to administer, represents a major step forward by reducing the time and complexity involved in delivering treatment to cancer patients.
This year’s report on the world’s bestselling pharmaceuticals underscores Mewburn Ellis’ position as one of the leading firms for handling the intellectual property rights of many of the most significant and innovative pharmaceuticals and biologics.
David Brooks
David is a trainee patent attorney working in the fields of chemistry and materials. His areas of expertise include inorganic and organic synthesis, advanced inorganic materials, luminescent materials, gas storage and separation technologies, two-dimensional materials, including graphene, and synthesis and characterisation of crystalline materials.
Email: david.brooks@mewburn.com
