AstraZeneca's oncology medicine Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) was the top-selling new pharma launch of 2024 with Rs 58 crore in sales in its first year on the market. Enhertu's success is a testimony to the increasing incidence of cancer in India and the increasing demand for new oncology medicines.

Key Highlights:
Strong Market Performance of New Drug Launches:

• More than 3,100 new pharma brands launched in 2024, collectively registering Rs 1,097 crore in total sales, IQVIA data shows.

• Most new launches were in cardiac, anti-diabetic, and vitamins & minerals segments, a testament to India's crushing disease burden.

Top-Selling New Drug Launches in 2024:

• Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) – Rs 58 crore in sales.

• Sun Pharma – Rs 50 crore from 18 brands.

• Dr Reddy's Laboratories – Rs 45 crore from 51 brands.

Growing Demand for Oncology Medicines:

• Patient numbers for cancer in India keep growing, driving increased demand for advanced treatments like Enhertu.

• Enhertu has been approved for HER2-positive and HER2-low metastatic breast cancer and HER2-positive gastric cancers.

Statements from Industry Experts:
Pharma Analyst:
"A cancer drug leading the sales charts is a testimony to both the increasing burden of the disease in India and the high demand for effective treatment options."The success of Enhertu and other oncology medicines is a testament to a changing trend in India's pharma market, with cancer medicines taking center stage. With more targeted therapies on offer, industry experts predict continued growth in oncology medicine sales over the next few years.