The global market for eye drugs continues to grow as vision-related conditions, particularly among aging populations, drive demand for innovative therapies. Among the various treatments available, a few stand out as top performers, both for their clinical efficacy and commercial success. In this blog, we delve into the recent sales data to highlight the top three best-selling eye drugs in 2023.
From long-established treatments to cutting-edge advancements, these therapies have shaped the ophthalmology landscape, offering hope to millions of patients worldwide.
Let’s take a closer look at Eylea, Vabysmo and Lucentis — the ophthalmology drugs that led the pack in recent sales figures.
Related: Top 30 Drugs to Watch in 2024: Insights from 2023 Sales Data
1. Eylea (Aflibercept)
Eylea 2023 Sales: $9.225 billion
Company/developer: Regeneron
Date of first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval: November 18, 2011
Indications Eylea HD is FDA-approved for: Neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD); macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO); diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR); retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants.
Price of Eylea HD: The wholesale acquisition cost (WAC; also known as list price) of Eylea is $2,625 per single-dose glass vial.
Why it sold so well: The success of Eylea HD is likely due to its extended dosing interval, which offers greater convenience, and a reduced treatment burden compared to the original Eylea formulation. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Eylea HD generated impressive US net sales of $123 million, reflecting a robust market launch following its FDA approval in August 2023.
Dr. Peter Kaiser, the Chaney Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology Research at the Cole Eye Institute and professor of Ophthalmology at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, commented in a press release on Eylea HD’s approval, “With Eylea HD, patients with wet age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinal disease can now receive less frequent injections after their initial monthly doses and still experience the similar visual gains, anatomic improvements and safety profile of Eylea.”
Conversely, sales of the original Eylea formulation declined during the same period. Fourth-quarter US net sales of Eylea in 2023 totaled $1.34 billion, down from $1.50 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022, leading to an annual total of $5.72 billion in 2023, compared to $6.27 billion in 2022. This decline is likely attributable to the introduction of Eylea HD, as patients and providers gravitated toward the newer formulation for its potentially more convenient treatment schedule.
2. Vabysmo (Faricimab)
Vabysmo 2023 sales: $2.734 billion
Company/developer: Genentech
Date of first FDA approval: January 28, 2022
Indications Vabysmo is FDA-approved for: Vabysmo is used to treat patients with wet AMD; DME; and RVO.
Price of Vabysmo: Vabysmo’s annual list price during the maintenance phase is $6,570, which breaks down to $2,190 per injection.
Why it sold so well: The eye medicine Vabysmo remains the company’s leading growth driver, marking a 324 percent increase in worldwide sales in 2023 compared to 2022.
Vabysmo is the first bispecific antibody designed for eye conditions and is currently approved in 60 countries for the treatment of wet AMD and DME, with over 800,000 doses distributed worldwide.
FDA approval was granted following promising results from several trials. After one year of treatment, patients receiving Vabysmo demonstrated similar visual improvements to those treated with aflibercept, an already approved drug for wet AMD. Additionally, in 2023 the FDA has approved the Vabysmo 6.0 mg single-dose prefilled syringe for treating three major causes of vision loss. The Vabysmo prefilled syringe is indicated for wet AMD, DME and macular edema following RVO.
3. Lucentis (Ranibizumab)
Lucentis 2023 sales: $2.008 billion
Company/developer: Genentech
Date of first FDA approval: June 30, 2006
Indications Lucentis is FDA-approved for: Lucentis is FDA-approved for patients with wet AMD; macular edema following RVO; DME; DR; and myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV).
Price of Lucentis: The cost of Lucentis is around $1,800 to $2,000 before insurance for a single dose.
Why it sold so well: The FDA’s endorsement of Lucentis is strongly supported by compelling clinical evidence. In a study of 459 individuals with wet AMD, 91 percent of the 230 people treated with Lucentis maintained their vision after one year, compared to 60 percent of the 229 individuals in the control group. Additionally, those receiving Lucentis were able to read an average of six more letters on an eye chart, whereas the control group saw a decrease of 11 letters.
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