Last year we reported the unprecedented growth of the innovative pharmaceuticals industry in 2021 and the close involvement Mewburn Ellis had with some of the blockbuster drugs that drove this success. We are delighted to release our latest report on the figures for 2022.
The pharmaceuticals sector continues to enjoy extraordinary success, as sales of the 200 top selling pharmaceuticals grew 4.5% from 2021 to a record $613 billion.
While the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer classified as a global health emergency, [1] treatments for COVID-19 have had another huge year of sales. Pfizer and BioNTech’s Comirnaty™ remains the top selling pharmaceutical while Moderna’s Spikevax™ and Pfizer’s antiviral drug Paxlovid™ are amongst the top 5 bestsellers.
The blockbuster monoclonal antibody Humira™ has had another strong year with sales of over $21 billion in 2022.
Mewburn Ellis have considerable experience working with top selling drugs, which is exemplified by our involvement with a significant proportion of the top 200 pharmaceuticals of 2022. We have worked on pharmaceuticals having an aggregate sales value of $166 billion: 27% of the total top 200. This includes 18 out of the 50 top-selling pharmaceuticals, and 4 out of the top 10.
Patent term extension and exclusivity specialists
Our Speciality Pharma team are experts in understanding and advising on the commercial landscape of pharmaceuticals, including in the areas of patent term extensions, regulatory protection and litigation. Mewburn Ellis have handled the SPC/PTE portfolios of 15% of the top 100 bestselling pharmaceuticals of 2022, including 11 of the top 50.
Supporting leaders in the field of antibodies and ADCs
Our antibody-drug conjugate specialists have guided the development of portfolios across every stage of the drug development lifecycle, including for high-profile ADCs Zynlonta™ and Kadcyla™.
We also have an excellent track record of success in both offensive and defensive oppositions at the EPO. Our attorneys have been involved in contentious proceedings relating to patents for top selling antibodies such as Herceptin™, Avastin™, Xolair™ and Perjeta™.
The 2022 report on the top 200 pharmaceuticals affirms Mewburn Ellis’ position as a leading firm for handling the intellectual property rights of some of the most globally significant biologics and pharmaceuticals.
1 https://www.who.int/news/item/05-05-2023-statement-on-the-fifteenth-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-pandemic
