Rate of sales grows by 6%

The rate of sales growth in North America and selected international markets grew by 6% from February 1997 to January 1998, according to a recent "Drug Monitor" report from IMS Global Services. Final sales closed at $181 billion.

North America had the strongest sales with an overall rate of 11% and sales of $71 billion.

Internationally, growth among the seven leading European markets was 4%; Germany, which grew by 2% due primarily to strong systemic anti-infective performance, was the largest European market. Spain, however, also demonstrated strong growth as a result of sales gains in its central nervous system product lines. Latin America, comprised of eight leading countries, and Australia/New Zealand showed sales growth rates of 9%. Meanwhile, the Japanese market, despite its inclusion of hospital sales figures, continued to fall.

In terms of specific products, antidepressants were leaders in terms of sales growth across major world markets. They accounted for 14% growth with a grand sum of $7 billion in sales. Sales in the United States were strongest, growing 21%, but gains were made in France (12%) and the United Kingdom (23%) as well. The Japanese market in this therapeutic class is flat, IMS Global Services reported.

Prozac, manufactured by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co., held its lead among antidepressants with a one-third share of the market. Seroxat (also sold as Paxil), a selective re-uptake inhibitor manufactured by Philadelphia-based SmithKline Beecham, was second in market sales, and Zoloft, New York-based Pfizer's antidepressant, was third. PR