Evaluate Pharma World Preview 2020, Outlook to 2026

This year's edition of the Evaluate Pharma World Preview arrives at a time when the global economy is reeling. The impact of COVID-19 has so far wiped $7.85bn off forecasts for biopharma sales in 2020, with the top 15 companies bearing 60% of that loss. 

However, despite dampening sales in the near-term, demand for innovative and effective therapies continues to drive long-term growth. Prescription drug sales are forecast to grow 3.7% in 2020 to $904bn, and reach almost $1.4 trillion in 2026, with orphan drugs and oncology products continuing to be high-performing segments.

Report Highlights

• Roche will be the leading prescription drug company in 2026 with forecast sales of $61bn, retaining its top spot from 2019.
   
• Keytruda is set to be the top selling drug worldwide in 2026 with $24.9bn sales, almost double its closest rival. 
   
• Oncology remains the leading area for R&D investment with a forecast spend of $82bn, more than triple that of any other area. This spend is forecast to result in 152 novel FDA approvals and $311bn of drug sales in 2026.
   
• The orphan drug market is expected to double from $127bn sales in 2019 to $255bn in 2026, with a projected CAGR of 10.8% from 2020-2026.
   
• $252bn of sales are at risk due to patent expiries between 2020 and 2026, most notably including Humira – currently the top-selling product in the world – in 2023.