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Every year, biopharmaceutical companies introduce new drugs to the market. Some of these drugs become big winners. Others don't.
Market research company EvaluatePharma analyzed all of the drugs that could launch in 2019. The company then projected how much each drug could potentially generate by 2024. Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN), AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Aimmune Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AIMT), and bluebird bio (NASDAQ: BLUE) came out on top in EvaluatePharma's ranking of the top five new drug launches expected this year. Here are the drugs that made the list.
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1. Ultomiris (Alexion)
EvaluatePharma thinks that the top new drug launched this year will be Alexion's Ultomiris. The drug received FDA approval earlier than expected in December for treating adults with ultra-rare blood disorder paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH).
Ultomiris could reach sales of nearly $3.5 billion by 2024, according to EvaluatePharma's projections. It's off to a good start: Alexion reported sales for the drug of $24.6 million in the first quarter.
2. Upadacitinib (AbbVie)
AbbVie's upadacitinib is expected to be the No. 2 new drug launched in 2019. EvaluatePharma thinks the drug could generate sales approaching $2.2 billion by 2024.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to make an approval decision for upadacitinib in treating rheumatoid arthritis in the third quarter of 2019. That could be the the first of several approved indications. AbbVie is also evaluating upadacitinib in late-stage clinical studies targeting atopic dermatitis, Crohn's disease, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis.
3. Risankizumab (AbbVie)
Upadacitinib wasn't AbbVie's only immunology drug to make EvaluatePharma's top five list. Risankizumab ranks third with projected 2024 sales of more than $2 billion.
AbbVie won FDA approval for risankizumab in April for treating plaque psoriasis, and the company launched the drug under the brand name Skyrizi earlier this month. AbbVie CEO Rick Gonzalez said in the company's Q1 conference call that Skyrizi should have "more than 50% commercial access by the end of July." That would reflect broad access to the market achieved more quickly than any other psoriasis drug in recent history. AbbVie expects sales for Skyrizi of around $150 million this year.
4. LentiGlobin (Bluebird)
EvaluatePharma thinks that gene therapy LentiGlobin could rake in nearly $1.9 billion by 2024. Bluebird expects European approval for the drug in treating transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT) in the second quarter of 2019. Assuming the drug wins approval, the biotech will launch it under the brand name Zynteglo.