Marketspace: Leading biotechnology players, 2002–08: Key products, indications and technologies

Abstract

For the full year 2002, the top ten biotechnology houses generated combined revenues (= royalties/licensing income + ethical or product sales; product sales includes both diagnostic and prescription drugs) of US$15.9bn, a 27 per cent increase over 2001. Using Datamonitor's proprietary forecasting methodology, the ethical sales of the ten leading biotechnology companies (Amgen, Genentech, Serono, Genzyme, Biogen, Chiron, MedImmune, Gilead, IDEC and Celltech) are forecast to grow from US$17.4bn in 2003 to US$32.7bn in 2008. Amgen and Genentech will lead the pack with ethical sales forecast to reach US$13.7bn and US$5.3bn, respectively. Amgen's Aranesp will be the leading biotechnology blockbuster, with sales forecast to reach US$3.1bn in 2008. Oncology and haematology/anaemia will be the most successful therapeutic indications, capturing more than 45 per cent of the group's ethical sales. When looking at the group's key technologies, rDNA proteins will maintain their leading position with more than half the ethical sales by 2008, although this dominance will decline as the market shares of antibody and small molecule-based drugs rise.