Five Blockbuster Drugs Expected to Launch This Year, AbbVie Claims Two Spots

Each year, biopharmaceutical companies launch new drugs onto the market. In addition to demonstrating newer and superior efficacy, becoming a blockbuster drug is also something manufacturers eagerly anticipate.

Market research firm EvaluatePharma leveraged its core expertise to analyze all drugs potentially launched in 2019 and forecasted their sales through 2024. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie, Aimmune Therapeutics, and bluebird bio ranked among the top five, with their corresponding launched drugs detailed as follows:

1、Ultomiris (Alexion)

EvaluatePharma believes that the new drug with the greatest market potential to be launched in 2019 will be Alexion’s Ultomiris. The drug received FDA approval last December for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), an extremely rare blood disorder.

According to EvaluatePharma’s forecast, Ultomiris sales will approach $3.5 billion by 2024. The company’s financial data also indicates a strong start: Alexion reported first-quarter sales of $24.6 million for the drug.

With the launch of Alexion’s Ultomiris, the drug is set to become the worthy successor to the company’s legacy blockbuster PNH medication, Soliris.

2、Upadacitinib (AbbVie)

AbbVie’s upadacitinib is poised to become the second blockbuster drug launched in 2019. EvaluatePharma projects that sales of this medication will approach $2.2 billion by 2024.

The FDA is expected to approve upadacitinib for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the third quarter of 2019. AbbVie is also evaluating upadacitinib for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, Crohn's disease, psoriasis, and ulcerative colitis, with clinical studies in late-stage development.

3、Risankizumab (AbbVie)

Upadacitinib is not AbbVie’s only immunology drug to rank among the top five in EvaluatePharma. The company’s Risankizumab ranks third, with projected 2024 sales exceeding $2 billion.

In April this year, AbbVie’s risankizumab received FDA approval for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. Earlier this month, the company announced that the drug would be marketed under the brand name Skyrizi. During the company’s first-quarter earnings call, AbbVie CEO Rick Gonzalez stated that Skyrizi “should have more than 50% commercial access by the end of July.” This reflects a market launch pace faster than that of any other psoriasis drug in recent history. AbbVie expects Skyrizi sales to reach approximately $150 million this year.

AbbVie’s best-selling drug, Humira, has seen its sales begin to decline, but Skyrizi, Upadacitinib, and the company’s other new drugs will enable it to continue growing.

4、LentiGlobin (Bluebird)

Evaluate Pharma believes that by 2024, the LentiGlobin gene therapy could generate nearly $1.9 billion in revenue. Bluebird bio expects Europe to approve this treatment for transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) in the second quarter of 2019. If approved, the biotech company’s LentiGlobin will be marketed under the brand name Zynteglo.

And a larger market opportunity is not far behind. Bluebird has planned to apply for U.S. marketing approval for the therapy by the end of this year.

bluebird bio’s Other Pipeline Assets Are Also Strong. In addition to LentiGlobin/Zynteglo, the biotechnology company has another promising late-stage gene therapy, Lenti-D. bluebird bio is also collaborating with Celgene to develop the cancer cell therapies ide-cel and bb21217.

5、AR101 (Aimmune)

In Evaluate Pharma’s assessment, Aimmune’s peanut allergy drug AR 101 appears poised to be another major winner. The market research firm projects that the drug could generate nearly $1.8 billion in sales by 2024.

However, Evaluate Pharma may be overly optimistic about the launch timeline for AR 101 this year. Jayson Dallas, CEO of Aimmune Therapeutics, stated during the company’s first-quarter conference call that the marketing authorization application for the drug is expected to be submitted in Europe by mid-2019. He added that the FDA’s review of AR 101 might not be completed until January 2020.

Unlike the previous four companies, AR-101 is virtually the sole hope for Aimmune. In the capital markets, sales of this drug will undoubtedly sway Aimmune’s stock performance. (Compiled by Sina Medicine/David)

Reference: Top 5 New Drug Launches of 2019 -- and the Biotech Stocks That Could Win Big