IMS global Rx sales

Executive Summary

North American pharmaceutical sales growth was outpaced by all other markets in 2005, IMS Health reports. For the year, sales in North America grew 5.2% (to $265.7 bil.), compared to 7.1% growth in Europe (to $169.5 bil.), 6.8% growth in Japan (to $60.3 bil.), 18.5% growth in Latin America (to $24 bil.) and 11% growth in Africa and non-Japan Asia Pacific (to $46.4 bil.). Biologics as a sector grew 17.1% in 2005, bringing their total sales to $52.7 bil. Leading products in terms of sales were Pfizer's Lipitor (6.4% growth to $12.9 bil.), Sanofi-Aventis/Bristol-Myers Squibb's Plavix (16% growth to $5.9 bil.) and AstraZeneca's Nexium (16.7% growth to $5.7 bil.)...