Celgene's top-selling myeloma drug, Revlimid, generates more than $4 billion in sales per year and, pending some current patent issues being resolved, could offer solid patent protection until at least 2023 or 2024.
Additionally, expansion of Celgene's Abraxane label last fall to include pancreatic cancer has that drug positioned to post sales of nearly $1 billion this year. Celgene also markets Pomalyst, which was approved in 2013 to treat advanced multiple myeloma. Sales of Pomalyst surged 375% year over year to $135 million in the first quarter.
Celgene would also bring its newly approved autoimmune drug, Otezla. Otezla launched in the first quarter as a treatment for psoriatic arthritis, but it could win approval for the far larger psoriasis indication later this year. If so, Otezla could capture a greater share of the market from current blockbusters such as AbbVie's $10 billion-a-year Humira.
Otezla would bolster Pfizer's existing autoimmune drug, Xeljanz, which is approved as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Xeljanz generated sales of $52 million in the first quarter, up from $11 million a year ago.
Combined, Celgene's product sales totaled $1.7 billion in the quarter, up nearly 20% from a year ago. That has Celgene telling investors to expect full-year sales of $7.5 billion, which would be a 15% increase from 2013.
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