Sales of patented drug products in Canada flat due to lack of new high-volume blockbusters

In 2011, sales of patented drug products in Canada increased toC$13.1 billion ($12.8 billion) from C$12.9 billion in 2010, a rise of 1.7%, according to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board’s (PMPRB) 2011 Annual Report, issued last Thursday. By comparison, the annual growth in sales stood at 27.0% in 1999 and remained in double-digits until 2003.

Throughout the latter part of the 1990s, sales growth was largely driven by a succession of new “blockbuster” products that achieved very high sales volumes. Since that time, the pharmaceutical industry has not introduced new high-volume products in sufficient numbers to sustain double-digit sales growth, the report states. Older drug products, introduced between 1995 and 1999, still accounted for nearly one quarter of 2011 sales.

Call to strengthen Canada’s competitive edge

Commenting on the PMPRB report, Russell Williams, president of Canada’s Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D), said: “The PMPRB report released today demonstrates the urgent need to improve Canada’s competitiveness so that the Canadian innovative pharmaceutical sector can become a leader in life sciences research and investment. Rx&D member companies continue to represent the lion’s share of pharmaceutical R&D in Canada at a little over 90% of all patentee R&D reported to the PMPRB in 2011, part of a long-term commitment that has resulted in investments of, on average 9.75% of sales per year over the past 24 years.