It’s as you were at the top of the pharma drug ad spending list in March as AbbVie’s immunology blockbusters Rinvoq and Skyrizi stay first and second, respectively.
This is the same order as we saw in February, according to data from real-time ad trackers at iSpot.TV, with spending also barely moving across both drugs and their spots.
However, the third position saw a significant shift. This spot is usually reserved for Sanofi and Regeneron’s rival immunology giant Dupixent, but, in March, Otsuka and Lundbeck's Rexulti took its place. After spending just under $11 million in February and not being listed, Rexulti ads jumped right into the final podium position in March as the pair spent $24.8 million on three spots.
Bristol Myers Squibb’s moderate to severe plaque psoriasis drug Sotyktu also jumped into the top 10 after not being in the listing at all the month before, more than doubling spending from $8.6 million in February to $19 million in March.
Dupixent has dropped down to fifth place from its usual ranking, while Merck's Gardasil HPV vaccine has made an unexpected appearance at No. 6 on the list of ad spending. Gardasil's ad spending saw a major boost from $7,600 to $14.7 million month over month.
In seventh place is Astellas’ hot flash treatment Veozah, down three places, while BMS makes its second entry into the top 10 with its skin, lung and many other cancers immunotherapy Opdivo. Opdivo has over time been in these top 10 lists—but never consistently—and it remains unusual to see any cancer med in these listings, given that it’s not a general drug for common conditions like psoriasis or asthma.
BMS was, however, clearly feeling flush as it also splashed out $14 million on ads for a third drug, namely its obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy treatment Camzyos.
Rounding off the top 10 is UCB’s moderate to severe plaque psoriasis therapy Bimzelx, which saw exactly $0 spent in February and rose to $13.6 million in March, as it launched its first DTC campaign in time for the Oscars.
Total spending for March was $188 million, up from $168.4 million in February. This is still some way off the $200 million-plus we saw tallied up for most months toward the end of 2023, but still a strong showing so early in the year, when overall spending numbers tend to be lower.
Check out the top 10 pharmaceutical drug ad spenders as compiled for Fierce Pharma Marketing by iSpot.TV below.
1. Rinvoq
Movement: No change
What is it? AbbVie’s JAK inhibitor immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $31 million (up from $30.1 million in February)
Number of spots: Six (one eczema, two arthritis, three UC/Crohn’s)
Biggest-ticket ad: “Mountains” (est. $8.6 million)
2. Skyrizi
Movement: No change
What is it? AbbVie’s immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $24.8 million (down from $24.9 million in February)
Number of spots: Eight (four psoriasis, one Crohn’s, three psoriatic arthritis)
Biggest-ticket ad: “Sailing” (est. $12.5 million)
3. Rexulti
Movement: Not listed last month
What is it? Otsuka and Lundbeck’s atypical antipsychotic
Est. national TV ad spend: $23.4 million (up from $10.8 million in February)
Number of spots: Three (two Alzheimer’s, one depression)
Biggest-ticket ad: “Still Masking” (est. $18.8 million)
4. Sotyktu
Movement: Not listed last month
What is it? Bristol Myers Squibb’s moderate to severe plaque psoriasis drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $19 million (up from $8.6 million in February)
Number of spots: Three
Biggest-ticket ad: “Live Unfiltered” (est. $16 million)
5. Dupixent
Movement: Down two spots
What is it? Sanofi and Regeneron’s immunology drug.
Est. national TV ad spend: $18.7 million (down from $20.3 million in February)
Number of spots: Seven (three eczema, three asthma, one gastrointestinal)
Biggest-ticket ad: “DU More: Diving Board, Soccer and Playground” (est. $7.7 million)
6. Gardasil
Movement: Not listed last month
What is it? Merck's HPV vaccine
Est. national TV ad spend: $14.7 million (up from $7.6K in February)
Number of spots: One
Biggest-ticket ad: “Numbers Move You” (est. $14.7 million)
7. Veozah
Movement: Down three spots
What is it? Astellas’ hot flash treatment
Est. national TV ad spend: $14.4 million (down from $16.2 million in February)
Number of spots: One
Biggest-ticket ad: “Not Flash” (est. $14.4 million)
8. Opdivo
Movement: Up one spot
What is it? Bristol Myers Squibb’s cancer medicine
Est. national TV ad spend: $14.4 million (up from $11.3 million in February)
Number of spots: One
Biggest-ticket ad: “Advanced Lung Cancer” (est. $14.4 million)
9. Camzyos
Movement: Down four spots
What is it? Bristol Myers Squibb’s symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy treatment
Est. national TV ad spend: $14 million (down from $16 million in February)
Number of spots: Two
Biggest-ticket ad: “Mike” (est. $7.9 million)
10. Bimzelx
Movement: Not listed last month
What is it? UCB’s moderate to severe plaque psoriasis therapy
Est. national TV ad spend: $13.6 million (up from $0 in February)
Number of spots: Three
Biggest-ticket ad: “Born With Wings” (est. $12 million)