Data analysis company Airfinity said on Friday$Pfizer Inc (PFE.US) $The drug developed by COVID-19, Paxlovid, will generate revenue of US $23.6 billion in 2022, making it one of the best-selling therapeutic drugs of all time.
Although sales of Paxlovid are widely expected to be $26.9 billion, Pfizer Inc expects the drug to generate $22 billion in revenue this year.
As the number of cases increases and the previously licensed COVID-19 treatment becomes ineffective due to the prevalence of new variants, sales of antiviral drugs from Pfizer Inc's competitors Merck & Co Inc (MEK.US), Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and Shionogi (SGIOF.US) are also expected to rise.
However, Arsalan Azad, an analyst at Airfinity, attributed the initial slow launch to production restrictions, a decline in the number of hospitalizations, low COVID-19 tests and confusion of qualifications.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year approved Pfizer Inc's antiviral drugs, including protease inhibitor nirmatrelvir and the older antiviral drug ritonavir, for use in people at high risk of contracting novel coronavirus.
Last month, nearly 36 companies agreed to produce generic versions of the drug worldwide.
Airfinity said total sales of the drug this year could reach $32.5 billion, up from a previous estimate of $19.5 billion.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 drug molnupiravir, jointly developed by Merck & Co Inc and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, is expected to reach annual sales of $6.4 billion, compared with a previous forecast of $5.8 billion.
Japanese drugmaker Shionogi plans to increase sales by $2.5 billion in 2022 with oral COVID-19 drug therapy, which is currently under study, according to Airfinity.
Edit / isaac