Brand-to-Brand Competition Shapes Therapeutic Classes

In the world of pharmaceuticals, competition isn’t just good for business — it’s a win for patients and the health care system. When multiple brands enter the market with treatments for the same condition, prices often drop significantly, making life-changing medicines more accessible.

Take migraines, for example. The introduction of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors in 2018 brought a breakthrough for millions of sufferers. As additional options entered the market, the cost of treatment dropped by more than 50%.¹

The same trend holds true for other therapeutic areas. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C — a revolutionary cure — have seen their prices fall by nearly 90% since their debut. High cholesterol treatments like proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors have experienced a similar impact, with costs dropping 86%.²

Even in the emerging field of obesity treatments, GLP-1 medications have seen prices fall by 47% since the launch of the first drug in the class.³