Top 15 Global Therapeutic Classes of 2009

IMS Health has compiled a list of the top 15 bestselling drug classes. Oncology drugs stand head and shoulders above the rest, bringing in $52 billion annually. That's $17 billion more than the next category, lipid regulators like Lipitor. Anti-epileptics saw the biggest drop in annual growth last year, while sales of autoimmune agents like Enbrel, Remicade and Humira soared almost 20 percent over 2008 levels. Click here to see five-year data on the fastest growing therapeutic classes by sales.

Drug Class

2009 Sales (billions)

Annual Growth

Oncologics

$52.37

8.8%

Lipid Regulators

$35.28

4.9%

Respiratory Agents

$33.59

11.0%

Antidiabetics

$30.40

13.4%

Anti-ulcerants

$29.61

0.6%

Angiotensin II Antagonists

$25.20

11.4%

Antipsychotics

$23.24

4.6%

Antidepressants

$19.41

-1.3%

Autoimmune Agents

$17.96

18.0%

Platelet Aggr. Inhibitors

$14.60

9.0%

HIV Antivirals

$13.75

14.9%

Anti-epileptics

$12.99

-19.8%

Narcotic analgesics

$11.23

8.6%

Non-narcotic analgesics

$11.17

7.3%

Erthropoietins

$10.80

-4.1%

 Data courtesy of IMS Health