11 Promising New Drugs Expected to Make Billions in Sales

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Big pharmaceuticals companies are expected to unveil a bevy of promising drug therapies in 2015 -- several that could make billions in sales within five years.

This year, 11 new drugs are expected to be "blockbusters," meaning sales of at least $1 billion in 2019, according to Thomson Reuters'2015 Drugs to Watch report, published this week.

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The number of potential drug blockbusters is a significant jump from 2014, in which three drugs were predicted to have more than $1 billion in annual sales eventually: Gilead Sciences' (GILD) Sovaldi for Hepatitis C; GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Theravance's(THRX) Anoro Ellipta for pulmonary disease, and Gilead's Zydelig for lymphoma.

In 2019, Solvadi is expected to have sales of $12.02 billion, Anoro Ellipta $1.64 billion, and Zydelig $1.04 billion, according to consensus expectations.

"The next 12 months are set to see several potential blockbusters enter the market place -- far more than 2014," the report said. 

While the majority of this year's list is expected to have annual sales between $1 and $3 billion by the end of 2019, three drugs are set to exceed that amount. Here is the list below, ordered from smallest expected sales to highest. 

And when you're done with that, be sure to check out J.P. Morgan's top biotech and pharmaceuticals stocks to buy in 2015. 

 

11.Novartis (NVS - Get Report)
Cosentyx (secukinumab)
Disease: psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
Forecasted 2019 sales: $1.08 billion

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10. Sanofi SA (SNY - Get Report)
Toujeo (new-formulation insulin glargine)
Disease: diabetes 
Forecasted 2019 sales: $1.26 billion

9. Otsuka Pharmaceutical and LundbeckBrexpiprazole
Disease: schizophrenia and depression
Forecasted 2019 sales: $1.35 billion

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8. Merck & Co. (MRK - Get Report)
Gardasil 9 
Disease: vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection 
Forecasted sales for 2019: $1.64 billion

 

7. Amgen (AMGN - Get Report) and Astellas Pharmaevolocumab 
Disease: hypercholesterolemia/hyperlipidemia 
Forecasted 2019 sales: $1.86 billion

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6. AbbVie (ABBV)Viekira Pak (veruprevir, ritonavir, ombitasvir and dasabuvir) 
Disease: for Hepatitis C 
Forecasted 2019 sales: $2.5 billion

  

5.Vertex Pharmaceutical (VRTX)
lumacaftor plus ivacaftor
Disease: cystic fibrosis
Forecasted 2019 sales: $2.74 billion

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4. Pfizer (PFE)
Ibrance (palbociclib)
Disease: breast cancer 
Forecasted 2019 sales: $2.76 billion

  

3. Novartis
LCZ-696 (sacubitril and valsartan)
Disease: chronic heart failure 
Forecasted 2019 sales: $3.73 billion

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2. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) and SanofiPraluent (alirocumab)
Disease: hypercholesterolemia
Forecasted 2019 sales: $4.41 billion

  

1. Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY - Get Report)
Opdivo (nivolumab)
Disease: melanoma
Forecasted 2019 sales: $5.68 billion

By Laurie Kulikowski

Source: http://www.thestreet.com/story/13087844/1/11-promising-new-drugs-expected-to-make-billions-in-sales.html?kval=dontmiss