EsU.S. imports of anticonvulsant drugs, used for migraine and bipolar conditions as well as epilepsy, have increased markedly over the past two years. This may reflect the approval by the FDA in 2014 for the use of topiramate to treat adolescent migraines.
Panjiva data shows that total imports of the top five drugs available (branded and generic versions of Neurontin, Lamictal, Keppra, Topamax and Depakote) increased 42.1% in October, the 18th straight month of growth. While all five drugs saw an increase, lamotrigine (the generic version of GlaxoSmithKline’s Lamictal) grew the fastest at 150%.
Source: Panjiva
When GlaxoSmithKline’s Lamictal went off patent in 2008 its revenues fell by 59.6% while Johnson & Johnson’s Topamax lost 69.8% of its revenues in 2009. This is the result of generic drug importers, including Aurobindo Pharma, Cipla and Cadila Healthcare supplying at significantly lower prices. They can also dominate subsequent demand increases. For example imports of generic lamotrigine, having grown 150% in October, climbed 83.9% in the past 12 months vs. the same period five years earlier. Yet, revenues for Lamictal are 1.2% lower even after having gone off-patent and were unchanged in the third quarter on a year earlier.
Currently the main branded drug in the sector for which major patents still apply is Pfizer’s Lyrica. This is due to lose its patent in 2018, and generated the company $1.24 billion of revenues in the third quarter of 2016.
Source: Panjiva
