Patient Rights Treatment Decisions & Safety Top 10 Biologic Drugs in the United States These Drugs Are Changing the Way Illnesses Are Treated By Kathlyn Stone twitter linkedin Kathlyn Stone is a former writer for The Balance SMB who covered pharma. She is an experienced journalist who specializes in health, science, and public policy. Learn about our editorial process Kathlyn Stone Updated on June 23, 2020 Print More in Patient Rights Treatment Decisions & Safety Medical Marijuana Navigating Your Diagnosis Medical Records Managing Medical Costs Patient Advocacy Healthcare Team Hospital Stay Safety Biologics are drugs made from complex molecules manufactured using living microorganisms, plants, or animal cells. Many biologics are produced using recombinant DNA technology. They are sometimes referred to as biopharmaceuticals or biological drugs. Biologics have revolutionized the treatment of many serious and chronic illnesses and have nudged traditional small-molecule drugs out of the top sales slots. Rheumatoid arthritis, certain cancers, and diabetes have the greatest numbers of dedicated biologic treatments. Biologics are changing the ways doctors treat common conditions that have plagued individuals for years. Generic Biologics While most drugs are chemicals synthesized from other chemicals, biologics are much more expensive due to their complex manufacturing process. Because of their high cost, there is a great demand for generic versions of biologic medications. Several pharmaceutical companies are lobbying for the right to manufacture generic versions. However, because they are so difficult to manufacture, there are concerns about the ability to manufacture generics both safely and reliably. Top 10 Biologics The 10 drugs on the list all have exceeded the monetary definition of a "blockbuster" which designates a drug as having generated more than $1 billion in annual sales. Figures are based on 2018 sales data reported by the respective manufacturers for revenues generated in 2017. 1 Humira Jose Luis Pelaez Inc / Blend Images / Getty Images The anti-inflammatory drug Humira is not only the best-selling biologic; it is one of the best-selling drugs worldwide, regardless of class. Indications: Rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis Manufacturer: AbbVie, an Abbott Laboratories spinoff Global Sales in 2017: $18.4 billion Generic name: Adalimumab Launch date: 2002 2 Rituxan BURGER/PHANIE / Canopy / Getty Images Rituxan (rituximab) was developed by IDEC Pharmaceuticals under the name IDEC-C2B8. Rituxan is currently co-marketed in the United States by Biogen Idec and Roche subsidiary Genentech. Indication: Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis Manufacturer: Roche Global Sales in 2017: $9.2 billion Generic name: Rituximab Launch date: 1997 3 Enbrel DAM GAULT / SPL / Science Photo Library / Getty Images Enbrel was developed by researchers at Immunex. Today the drug is co-marketed in North America by Amgen and Pfizer, by Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Japan, and by Wyeth in the rest of the world. Indication: Rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis Manufacturer: Pfizer/Amgen Global Sales in 2017: $7.9 billion Generic name: Etanercept Launch date: 1998 4 Herceptin Echo / Cultura / Getty Images Herceptin was developed by Genentech, now a Roche subsidiary, and UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Indication: HER2+ breast cancer Manufacturer: Roche Global Sales in 2017: $7.4 billion Generic name: Trastuzumab Launch date: 1998 5 Avastin Echo / Cultura / Getty Images When launched in 2004, Genentech's Avastin was one of the most expensive drugs on the market, with a $4,400 monthly price tag. Indication: Breast, colorectal, kidney, non-small-cell lung, glioblastoma, ovarian cancers Manufacturer: Roche Global Sales in 2017: $7.1 billion Generic name: Bevacizumab Launch date: 2004 6 Remicade BURGER / PHANIE / Canopy / Getty Images Remicade was originally developed by Centocor Ortho Biotech, which is now Janssen Biotech, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary. Indications: Rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, ulcerative colitis Manufacturer: Johnson & Johnson/Merck & Co. Global Sales in 2017: $7.1 billion Generic name: Infliximab Launch date: 1998 7 Lantus Tom Merton / Caiaimage / Getty Images Lantus was developed at Sanofi-Aventis's biotechnology research center in Frankfurt-Höchst, Germany. Indication: Diabetes Manufacturer: Sanofi Global Sales in 2017: $5.7 billion Generic name: Insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection Launch date: 2000 8 Neulasta Mark Harmel / The Image Bank / Getty Images Indication: Neutropenia related to cancer chemotherapy Manufacturer: Amgen Global Sales in 2017: $4.7 billion Generic name: Pegfilgrastim Launch date: 2002 9 Avonex Peter Dazeley / Photographer's Choice / Getty Images Avonex is marketed in the United States by Biogen Idec and by Merck under the brand name Rebif. Gemany's Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB and CinnaGen Company cloned Interferon beta-1a and since 2006 the drug has been sold as CinnoVex, a biosimilar, in Iran. Indication: Multiple sclerosis (MS) Manufacturer: Biogen Idec Global Sales in 2017: $2.1 billion Generic name: Interferon beta-1a Launch date: 1996 10 Lucentis Portra Images / DigitalVision / Getty Images Developed by Genentech, ranibizumab, an injectable, is marketed in the United States by Genentech and by Novartis outside the U.S. Indication: Age-related macular degeneration Manufacturer: Roche, Novartis Global Sales in 2017: $1.5 billion Generic name: Ranibizumab Launch date: 2006 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit