The strength of AbbVie’s blockbuster auto-inflammatory drug Humira has helped keep the firm top of the pile in immunology drug sales. 
Humira (adalimumab), the biggest-selling medicine in the world last year with licences for rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-inflammatory diseases, helped keep AbbVie in its dominant position at the top of immunology sales leader board.
This is according to new data published exclusively on PMLiVE by GlobalData that saw the firm grow 18%, up to $12.5bn last year.
Humira’s future as a major revenue driver is under threat however from biosimilars, with a number of firms looking to exploit its patent loss in the coming years by developing cheaper alternatives.
This will likely jeopardise AbbVie’s top spot in the future, although almost all firms in the top 25 list will be threatened by biosimilars in the next decade.
Johnson & Johnson has moved from third place in 2013 to second place in 2014, with immunology drug sales growing a healthy 11% to $10.1bn.
J&J saw strong growth from its broad immunological drug range that includes Remicade (infliximab) and Simponi (golimumab), which both treat rheumatoid arthritis as well as other auto-inflammatory disorders, and Stelara (ustekinumab), with licences for plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
J&J co-markets Remicade with Merck & Co and sells it predominately in this US, where it made $4.1bn for the firm last year.
But Merck’s share of Remicade’s sales are under threat in the European market after a flood of biosimilars for the drug hit the continent earlier this year, with some discounts being as deep as 70% in certain countries.
Merck’s sales of Remicade actually went up last year to $2.5bn, which also helped it climb from seventh to fifth place for immunology drugs sales in 2014, with $3.5bn worth of revenue.
This will likely be decimated in 2015 however as more doctors switch their patients to the cheaper biosimilars.
The top ten companies in terms of immunology drug sales made just under $48bn last year.
To see the top pharma list for these treatments, please visit our dedicated page here: http://www.pmlive.com/top_pharma_list/immunology_revenues