According to Retail Audit of Drugs in Belarus™, Belorussian pharmaceutical market in the 1st quarter of 2007 increased by 40% in Belorussian rubles compared to the same period in 2006 and amounted to $ 93.6 Mln at wholesale prices and 122.4 Mln at retail prices. Average retail price per pack reached $1.03 in the first three months of 2007. Thus, during the analyzed period each Belarus citizen bought drugs for an average sum of about $12.5.
The list of the leading manufacturers remained generally stable: seven out of ten participants retained positions they occupied in the first three months of 2006. In addition, almost all companies in the list demonstrated rapid growth (except Sagmel (+22%)). The only entrant in the Top 10 was Nycomed, driven by substantial retail sales growth of Actovegin, Concor and Cardiomagnyl. The Belorussian company Pharm-technologia left the list while the leaders of the national pharmaceutical industry Borisovsky Plant and Belmedpreparaty increased their presence on the retail market in the 1st quarter of 2007.
Table 1. Top 10 manufacturers by sales value
Rank |
Manufacturer |
Share in total pharmacy
sales, %
|
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
1 |
1 |
Berlin-Chemie / Menarini Pharma G.m.b.H. |
6,8 |
6,1 |
2 |
2 |
Borisovsky Plant |
5,9 |
5,7 |
3 |
3 |
Sanofi-Aventis |
4,5 |
4,4 |
4 |
5 |
Belmedpreparaty |
3,8 |
3,5 |
5 |
4 |
Sagmel Inc. |
3,7 |
4,2 |
6 |
6 |
Servier /Egis |
3,3 |
2,8 |
7 |
7 |
Gedeon Richter Ltd. |
3,3 |
2,6 |
8 |
8 |
KRKA D.D. |
2,6 |
2,5 |
9 |
9 |
Novartis (incl. Lek-Sandoz) |
2,6 |
2,5 |
10 |
16 |
Nycomed |
2,0 |
1,7 |
| Total Top 10 |
38,5 |
36,0 |
The list of the leading trade names by pharmacy sales is presented on Table 2. Diroton and Prostamol Uno that increased their retail sales in Belorussian rubles by more than thrice and over twice accordingly entered the Top 10 in the first three months of 2007. It should be noted that high growth rates were showed by all trade marks in the list except for Ambroxol (+30%) and Berotec (+38%). Sales of Enalapril grew at noticeably high rates (+72%) while Enam that reduced its sales value compared to 1st quarter of 2006 (-12%), ranked below the Top 10 list. Corvalol also left the list.
Table 2. Top 10 trade names by sales value
Rank |
Trade Name |
Share in total pharmacy sales,
% |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
1 |
1 |
Enalapril |
1,4 |
1,2 |
2 |
2 |
Mildronate |
1,1 |
0,9 |
3 |
26 |
Diroton |
0,9 |
0,4 |
4 |
11 |
Prostamol Uno |
0,9 |
0,6 |
5 |
4 |
Mezym forte |
0,8 |
0,7 |
6 |
6 |
Amlodine |
0,8 |
0,7 |
7 |
7 |
Essentiale N |
0,7 |
0,7 |
8 |
9 |
Theraflex |
0,7 |
0,6 |
9 |
5 |
Ambroxol |
0,6 |
0,7 |
10 |
10 |
Berotec |
0,6 |
0,6 |
| Total Top 10 |
8,5 |
7,1 |
Top 10 INNs and combinations also registered noticeable changes by the results of the analyzed period (Table 3). Two new participants were added to the list: lisinopril and nimesulide which increased their retail sales in national currency in 3.2 and 1.9 times accordingly. The three leaders are stable; however, the combination multivitamine+multimineral was characterized by slow growth rate (+14%). Amlodipine, pancreatin and meldonium, on the contrary, showed significant positive dynamics (+62%, +48% and +75% in Belorussian rubles correspondingly) and improved their positions in the list. Retail sales of the group multivitamine somewhat decreased compared to the same period the previous year (-1%). Vinpocetine and amoxicillin left the list in the current period analyzed.
Table 3. Top 10 INNs by sales value
Rank |
INN/Combination |
Share in total pharmacy sales,
% |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
1 |
1 |
Enalapril |
3,7 |
3,7 |
2 |
2 |
Multivitamine+ Multimineral |
2,3 |
2,8 |
3 |
3 |
Diclofenac |
1,7 |
1,7 |
4 |
5 |
Amlodipine |
1,6 |
1,4 |
5 |
7 |
Pancreatin |
1,3 |
1,2 |
6 |
34 |
Lisinopril |
1,2 |
0,5 |
7 |
10 |
Meldonium |
1,1 |
0,9 |
8 |
6 |
Ambroxol |
1,1 |
1,2 |
9 |
14 |
Nimesulide |
1,1 |
0,8 |
10 |
4 |
Multivitamine |
1,0 |
1,5 |
| Total Top 10 |
16,1 |
15,7 |
All the Top 10 ATC groups retained their presence in the list, however, only three participants kept positions they occupied in the list in the 1st quarter of 2006. Agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system (+66%) headed the Top 10 list due to substantial sales growth of Enalapril and Diroton. Lowest growth among the leading ATC groups in national currency was posted by Analgesics (+13%).
Table 4. Top 10 ATC groups by sales value
Rank |
ATC code |
ATC group |
Share in total pharmacy sales,
% |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
Q1 2007 |
Q1 2006 |
1 |
3 |
C09 |
Agents Acting On The Renin-Angiotensin System |
6,7 |
5,6 |
2 |
1 |
J01 |
Antibacterials for Systemic Use |
6,2 |
7,4 |
3 |
2 |
A11 |
Vitamins |
5,2 |
6,4 |
4 |
6 |
M01 |
Antiinflammatory and Antirheumatic Products |
4,8 |
3,9 |
5 |
5 |
C01 |
Cardiac Therapy |
4,7 |
4,2 |
6 |
4 |
N02 |
Analgesics |
4,2 |
5,2 |
7 |
9 |
N06 |
Psychoanaleptics |
3,3 |
3,2 |
8 |
8 |
N05 |
Psycholeptics |
3,2 |
3,3 |
9 |
7 |
R05 |
Cough and Cold Preparations |
2,9 |
3,4 |
10 |
10 |
A10 |
Drugs Used In Diabetes |
2,5 |
2,7 |
| Total Top 10 |
43,7 |
45,3 |
Conclusion. The Belorussian pharmaceutical retail market demonstrated significant growth compared to the previous year period. Drug consumption increased not only in money terms, what is mainly conditioned by strong growth of major foreign manufacturers, but also in natural terms: this is primarily linked to strengthening of positions of the top national manufacturers. |
