Friday Fun Fact: June 5

What is the best-selling drug of all time?

Answer: Lipitor

Used to lower cholesterol levels, Pfizer’s Lipitor is estimated to have made around $125 billion between its introduction in 1997 and when it lost patent exclusivity in 2011.

The drug’s success may be attributable to some data, which found that the drug lowered cholesterol faster than competing statin drugs. Sales of the drug have fallen now that generic options are available, but Lipitor’s peak revenue years reached more than $10 billion annually during 2009 and 2010.

REFERENCE

Fuhrmann R, 5 Best-Selling Prescription Meds of All Time. Investopedia; September 24, 2012. https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0912/5-best-selling-prescription-meds-of-all-time.aspx. Accessed June 4, 2020.