Over-the-counter drugs are a major component of the healthcare industry, both from a financial and medical perspective. OTC drugs are important because they are the force behind health and health maintenance outside hospitals and healthcare facilities, and play a critical role in patient compliance. With the recent trend of increasing the number of medications available over-the-counter, the role of OTC drugs will only continue to expand and evolve. This means that vendors will need to continually develop and improve their products, packaging, and put into place more stringent regulations to deal with the higher level of accessibility. According to analysts at Technavio, the global over-the-counter drug market, which was valued at $120 billion in 2015, will reach $162 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 6.37%.
Key vendors in the global OTC drug market
GSK
GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) is a science-led global healthcare company on a mission to help people do more, feel better, and live longer. GSK has three world-leading businesses that research, develop and manufacture innovative pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines and consumer healthcare products. By delivering a sustainable business, GSK provides health benefits to patients and consumers. Each of its three businesses benefits from GSK’s commercial infrastructure, integrated supply networks and significant global presence.
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational medical devices, pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Johnson & Johnson’s brands include numerous household names of medications and first aid supplies. Among its well-known consumer products are the Band-Aid Brand line of bandages, Tylenol medications, Johnson’s baby products, Neutrogena skin and beauty products, Clean & Clear facial wash and Acuvue contact lenses.
Pfizer
Pfizer Inc. is an American global pharmaceutical corporation headquartered in New York City, with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut. It is among the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. Pfizer develops and produces medicines and vaccines for a wide range of medical disciplines, including immunology, oncology, cardiology, diabetology/endocrinology, and neurology. Pfizer’s products include Lipitor (atorvastatin), Lyrica (pregabalin), Diflucan (fluconazole), Zithromax (azithromycin), Viagra (sildenafil), and Celebrex/Celebra (celecoxib).
Bayer
Bayer is a German multinational chemical and pharmaceutical company with a more than 150-year history and core competencies in the areas of healthcare and agriculture. It is headquartered in Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, where its illuminated sign is a landmark. Bayer’s primary areas of business include human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, consumer healthcare products, agricultural chemicals and biotechnology products, and high value polymers.
Sanofi
Sanofi S.A. is a French multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Gentilly, France, and as of 2013 is the world’s fifth-largest by prescription sales. The company was formed as Sanofi-Aventis in 2004 by the merger of Aventis and Sanofi-Synthélabo, which were each the product of several previous mergers. It changed its name to Sanofi in May 2011. Sanofi engages in the research and development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical drugs principally in the prescription market, but the firm also develops over-the-counter medication.
Other prominent vendors
Abbott
Abbott Laboratories is an American worldwide health care company. It has 74,000 employees and operates in more than 150 countries. Abbott has a broad range of branded generic pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, nutrition products, including Ensure, a line of meal replacement shakes. The company’s in-vitro diagnostics business performs immunoassays and blood screening. Its medical tests and diagnostic instrument systems are used worldwide by hospitals, laboratories, blood banks, and physician offices to diagnose and monitor diseases such as HIV, hepatitis, cancer, heart failure and metabolic disorders, as well as assess other indicators of health..
Achelios Therapeutics
Achelios Therapeutics, Inc., based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is a privately held specialty bio-pharmaceutical development company whose core competency is the reformulation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) molecules that have historically been used to treat pain and inflammation. Achelios Therapeutics is building a strong drug development product portfolio with patent-protected pharmaceutical products, with compositions, and/or method-of-use patents.
American Health
American Health®, a leading manufacturer of the American Health® and Ester-C® brands, offers the highest quality nutritional products created to help maintain optimum health and wellness. American Health® remains one of the most trusted and respected innovators of specialty supplements in the natural health food industry. Its commitment to product quality remains steadfast with its market leading probiotics and digestive enzymes, as well as with the patented and clinically researched vitamin C formula, Ester-C®.
Amgen
AMGen is an American multinational biopharmaceutical company headquartered in California. AMGen is the world’s largest independent biotechnology firm. In 2013, the company’s largest selling product lines were Neulasta/Neupogen, two closely related drugs used to prevent infections in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy; and Enbrel, a tumor necrosis factor blocker used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Other products include Epogen, Aranesp, Sensipar/Mimpara, Nplate, Vectibix, Prolia and XGEVA.
Arena Pharmaceuticals
Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company located in San Diego, California. The company has one product on the market and several others in development. This year, the company downsized and said it would shift its focus to developing new drugs currently being tested in clinical trials.
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca plc is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biologics company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the world’s seventh-largest pharmaceutical company measured by 2012 prescription drug sales and has operations in over 100 countries. AstraZeneca has a portfolio of products for major disease areas including cancer, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, infection, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation. It has made numerous corporate acquisitions, including Cambridge Antibody Technology, MedImmune, Spirogen, and Definiens.
BioGaia
BioGaia is a healthcare company that develops, markets and sells probiotic products with documented health benefits. BioGaia’s products combine the well-researched probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri and top of the line engineering to develop unique packaging solutions that make it possible to create probiotic products that match consumer needs. Lactobacillus reuteri is a “good” and friendly bacterium that helps battle the “bad” microorganisms in the digestive tract, improving the host’s health.
Bristol Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global BioPharma company firmly focused on its mission to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines to patients with serious diseases. The company’s medicines help millions of people in their fight against such diseases as cancer, cardiovascular disease, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS and, rheumatoid arthritis.
Bukwang Pharmaceutical
Bukwang Pharm. Co., Ltd. is a leading Korean pharmaceutical company listed on the Korean Stock Exchange . Sales are primarily derived from products licensed from Europe, the United States, and Japan. The company is currently investing significant resources in R&D to create a robust pipeline of preclinical and clinical agents for the treatment of antiviral diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, CNS disorders and metabolic disease.
Chr. Hansen
Chr. Hansen is a global bioscience company that develops natural solutions for the food, nutritional, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. The company develops and produces cultures, enzymes, probiotics and natural colors for a rich variety of foods, confectionery, beverages, dietary supplements and even animal feed. Chr. Hansen was established in 1874 and has more than 2,600 dedicated employees in over 30 countries.
Cipla
Cipla Limited is an Indian multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, headquartered in Mumbai, India, Belgium, Surrey in the European Union and Miami, Florida, in the United States. Cipla primarily develops medicines to treat cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, weight control and depression.
CoLucid
CoLucid Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2005 with a primary goal of developing lasmiditan for the acute treatment of migraine. The Company has three clinical trials underway—SAMURAI, SPARTAN, and GLADIATOR—which will result in more than 15,000 patient exposures with lasmiditan. Lasmiditan is being developed in two formulations: an oral medication for the acute treatment of migraine in adults, and also as intravenous formulation for administration by health care professionals.
Daiichi Sankyo
Daiichi Sankyo is a global pharmaceutical company with corporate origins in Japan. The company provides innovative products and services in more than 20 countries around the world. With more than 100 years of scientific expertise, it draws upon a rich legacy of innovation and a robust pipeline of promising new medicines to help patients. Through the outstanding knowledge and commitment of our 16,000 employees worldwide, Daiichi Sankyo creates innovative new and generic medicines, and new methods of drug discovery and delivery.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories is an Indian multinational pharmaceutical company based in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The company was founded by Anji Reddy, who previously worked in the mentor institute, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited, of Hyderabad, India. Dr. Reddy’s manufactures and markets a wide range of pharmaceuticals in India and overseas. The company has over 190 medications, 60 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for drug manufacture, diagnostic kits, critical care, and biotechnology products.
View the 2016-2020 Global Over-the-Counter Drug Market Report
