Which is the costliest drug in India?

The costliest drug in India, and the world, is generally considered to be Zolgensma, a one-time gene therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in children, with a single dose costing upwards of ₹16-18 crore (around $2 million USD) before taxes, making it unaffordable for most without crowdfunding or government aid. Other extremely expensive treatments involve gene therapies like Lenmeldy (for MLD) and advanced cancer drugs, but Zolgensma consistently ranks as the most prominent due to its single-dose, life-altering nature for a severe rare disease.

Which is the most expensive drug in India?

In India, the cost of a single Zolgensma injection can reach up to ₹17 crore, making it a significant financial challenge for families. The high price is due to the advanced technology, research, and gene therapy production costs involved in developing this treatment.

Which is the highest selling drug in India?

Eli Lilly's anti-obesity medicine Mounjaro emerged as India's highest-selling drug by value in Oct 2025, posting sales worth almost ₹100 cr for the first time since its launch in March this year.

Why is Zolgensma so expensive?

Zolgensma is the most expensive medicine in India and worldwide. The therapy is expensive due to the high research and development costs, the limited size of the market, and the lifesaving nature of the treatment.

Which drug is most expensive?

The most expensive drug is Lenmeldy (atidarsagene autotemcel), a gene therapy for metachromatic leukodystrophy, costing around $4.25 million for a single dose, followed by Hemgenix ($3.5M) and Elevidys ($3.2M) for rare genetic conditions, with these one-time gene therapies dominating the top spots as they aim to cure or halt severe, lifelong diseases.
 

Why Is Zolgensma, Drug Worth Rs 16 Crore, This Expensive?

What are the top 10 most expensive drugs?

10 of the Most Expensive Drugs in the U.S.

• Lenmeldy. Estimated Cost: $4.25 million per one time treatment. ...
• Hemgenix. Estimated Cost: $3.5 million per one-time dose. ...
• Elevidys. Estimated Cost: $3.2 million per one-time dose. ...
• Skysona. Estimated Cost: $3 million per one-time dose. ...
• Zynteglo. ...
• Zolgensma. ...
• Myalept. ...
• Danyelza.

What's the highest selling drug?

The best-selling drug globally for recent years (2023-2024) is Merck's Keytruda (pembrolizumab), a cancer immunotherapy, with sales nearing $30 billion annually, while Novo Nordisk's Ozempic/Wegovy (semaglutide) and Lilly's Mounjaro/Zepbound (tirzepatide) dominate the metabolic disease space, showing explosive growth for diabetes and weight loss. AbbVie's Humira (adalimumab), a long-time leader for inflammatory conditions, remains high but faces biosimilar competition.
 

Can I get Zolgensma for free?

There is another way through which children with SMA type 1 can get a free dose of the Zolgensma injections in India, priced ₹ 16 crores. Through gMAP (Global Managed Access Program), only a selected number of patients under 2 years of age get a one-dose free.

How much is Zolgensma in the USA?

A Record Price: The gene therapy Zolgensma helped children born with a fatal disease, spinal muscular atrophy, grow up to run and play. But the cost was stunning: $2 million per dose.

Who pays for Zolgensma?

If you have insurance, the price of Zolgensma may be billed through your primary health insurance instead of the prescription drug portion. This depends on your child's insurance coverage and where your child receives Zolgensma, such as at a doctor's office, an infusion clinic, or a hospital.

What is the #1 abused drug?

By far, alcohol is the most commonly abused substance in the United States.

Which drug is illegal in India?

Controlled substances

The following list mentions the names of all substances banned or controlled in India under the NDPS Act. The list uses the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) of the drugs but in some cases mentions drugs by their chemical name. Widely known drugs such as ganja, cocaine, heroin etc.

Who are the big 3 in pharma?

The three biggest pharmaceutical companies, based on recent revenue and market cap, consistently include Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Merck & Co., with AbbVie, AstraZeneca, and Roche also frequently rounding out the top five, though rankings shift slightly depending on whether revenue, profit, or market capitalization is used. 

Which drug is most abused in India?

Cannabis, heroin, and Indian-produced pharmaceutical drugs are the most frequently abused drugs in India. Cannabis products, often called charas, bhang, or ganja, are abused throughout the country because it has attained some amount of religious sanctity because of its association with some Hindu deities[3].

Is Zolgensma FDA approved?

Zolgensma® (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi), marketed by Novartis, is FDA-approved for patients with all forms and types of SMA who are under two years of age at the time of dosing. Zolgensma® is given through an intravenous (IV) infusion that takes one hour. It is a one-time treatment.

What pill is stronger than Viagra?

Structurally vardenafil (Levitra) is similar to sildenafil, while tadalafil (Cialis) is very different. Vardenafil (Levitra) is almost 10 times more biochemically potent than sildenafil, therefore a lower dose is needed to facilitate the penile erection, potentially resulting in less side effects.

What is the world's most expensive drug?

There is a new most expensive drug ever—a gene therapy that costs as much as a Brooklyn brownstone or a Miami mansion, and more than the average person will earn in a lifetime. Lenmeldy is a gene treatment for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) and was approved in the U.S. on Monday.

How much is Zolgensma in Japan?

On May 13th 2020, Zolgensma® was listed with a reimbursement price of Yen 167 million (US$1.55 million; €1.4 million) per single administration2, representing the highest list price ever approved for a drug in Japan, and about five times higher than the previous highest price of Yen 34 million, for the CAR T-cell ...

Which disease needs a 16 crore injection?

Without proper treatment, SMA Type 1 is fatal. However, a life-changing gene therapy called Zolgensma could offer her a chance at a normal life. The treatment costs Rs. 16 crores, which offers her freedom from SMA.

Is Zolgensma a permanent cure?

ZOLGENSMA is not a cure and cannot reverse damage already caused by SMA before treatment. ZOLGENSMA is given as a one-time infusion into a vein over 60 minutes at a treatment center.

How much is Zolgensma in Turkey?

Yet the genetic therapy, onasemnogene abeparvovec, marketed as Zolgensma, is also known as the world's most expensive drug, at $2.1m – a price that, with runaway inflation in Turkey, becomes less accessible every day.

What is the age limit for Zolgensma?

ZOLGENSMA (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) is a gene therapy for the treatment of pediatric patients less than 2 years of age with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). ZOLGENSMA has a Boxed WARNING for Serious Liver Injury and Acute Liver Failure.

What is the most illegal drug in the United States?

Cocaine. Cocaine is the second most popular illegal recreational drug in the United States behind cannabis, and the U.S. is the world's largest consumer of cocaine. In 2020, the state of Oregon became the first U.S. state to decriminalize cocaine.

What is the blockbuster drug in 2025?

Blockbuster drugs for 2025 include established giants like Keytruda, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Dupixent, alongside exciting new contenders such as Vertex's cystic fibrosis treatment Vanza triple, Daiichi Sankyo/AstraZeneca's cancer drug Datopotamab deruxtecan, and Novo Nordisk's weekly diabetes insulin Awiqli, with new launches also anticipated in oncology (e.g., Imdelltra, Vepdegestrant) and neurology (e.g., Cobenfy for schizophrenia), driven by breakthroughs in AI, gene therapy, and GLP-1s for weight loss.
 

Who are the big 5 in pharma?

The "Big 5" pharmaceutical companies often vary slightly by ranking metric (revenue vs. market cap) and year, but consistently include major players like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, AbbVie, Roche, AstraZeneca, and Eli Lilly, with recent data showing Pfizer, J&J, AbbVie, Merck, and Roche (or AstraZeneca/Lilly) frequently in the top spots based on revenue/market cap in 2024/2025 reports.