AbbVie’s Skyrizi retains DTC spending crown, as Novo’s Wegovy sees first entry

Giving thanks, spending hours cooking a turkey and, as it turns out, a big helping of AbbVie were the biggest things in November as the Big Pharma big spender took the top two TV ad spending spots once again.

That’s according to the latest data from real-time ad trackers iSpot.TV. Their analysts found AbbVie’s immunology drug duo Skyrizi and Rinvoq took first and second place, respectively, in the top 10 TV drug ad spending list last month, repeating a pattern seen throughout 2024.

In third place, for the first time, is Novo Nordisk’s major anti-obesity med Wegovy. Novo has been spending—and spending big on TV ads for the GLP-1 drug, but iSpot has been filing Wegovy’s spend under a different category.

No more, however, and we can now see Wegovy’s DTC figures fall within the Pharma/Rx category. And you can see just how much Novo puts up: The drug would have been number one in October with a spend of $56.9 million for that month, though in November this fell to $41.9 million.

In fourth place is J&J’s immunology drug Tremfya, just as it was in October.

Sanofi and Regeneron’s megablockbuster immunology drug Dupixent fell three places, down to fifth as the pair spent $6.6 million less month-over-month.

In sixth position is Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 diabetes drug Ozempic, up three spots, while Novartis’ cancer drug Pluvicto makes an unusual appearance in seventh place after not being listed in October.

In eighth, we see Lundbeck and Otsuka’s neurology drug Rexulti fall two spots with total spending down more than $2 million. That was quite the fall after topping these lists twice earlier in the year. 

Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug Mounjaro was ninth, coming back into the top 10 with $16.9 million in spending after not registering a single dollar in spending in October, according to iSpot. 

The final place goes to AstraZeneca’s respiratory therapy Breztri Aerosphere, which fell five spots month-over-month.

Total spending from the top 10 Big Pharma companies in November hit $287.5 million, up from the already huge $268.1 million recorded in October. For context, both figures are huge jumps from the healthy September figure of $197.2 million, making November the highest monthly total of the year.

Check out the top 10 for November, compiled by iSpot.TV, below.

1. Skyrizi

Movement: No change

What is it? AbbVie’s immunology drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $46.1 million (down from $51.5 million in October)

Number of spots: 14 (two psoriatic arthritis, eight psoriasis, four UC/Crohn’s disease)

Biggest-ticket ad: “In the Picture” (est. $25 million)

 

2. Rinvoq

Movement: Up one spot

What is it?  AbbVie’s JAKi immunology drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $44.6 million (up from $35.1 million in October)

Number of spots: Five (one UC/Crohn’s, one arthritis, three eczema)

Biggest-ticket ad: “Just Okay: Jet Ski” (est. $21.6 million)

 

3. Wegovy

Movement: (was not classified as Rx/diabetes until mid-Nov 2024, would’ve been No. 1 in October)

What is it? Novo Nordisk’s anti-obesity GLP-1 drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $41.9 million (down from $56.9 million in October)

Number of spots: Two

Biggest-ticket ad: “Discover the Power: $0” (est. $37.9 million)

 

4. Tremfya

Movement: No change

What is it? J&J’s immunology drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $32.6 million (down from $34.1 million in October)

Number of spots: Five (four psoriasis, one ulcerative colitis)

Biggest-ticket ad: “Break Away” (est. $25.2 million)

 

5. Dupixent

Movement: Down three spots

What is it? Sanofi and Regeneron’s immunology drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $28.6 million (down from $35.2 million in October)

Number of spots: Seven (two asthma, five eczema)

Biggest-ticket ad: “Show Off: Pool and Party” (est. $13.4 million)

 

6. Ozempic

Movement: Up three spots

What is it? Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 diabetes drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $21.4 million (up from $14.6 million in October)

Number of spots: One

Biggest-ticket ad: “Discover the Ozempic Tri-Zone: Boxing” (est. $21.4 million)

 

7. Pluvicto

Movement: Not listed last month

What is it? Novartis’ cancer drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $21.3 million (up from $1 million in October)

Number of spots: One

Biggest-ticket ad: “Perseverance” (est. $21.6 million)

 

8. Rexulti

Movement: Down two spots

What is it? Lundbeck and Otsuka’s neurology drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $18.8 million (down from $21 million in October)

Number of spots: Three (two Alzheimer’s, one depression)

Biggest-ticket ad: “Journey” (est. $10.7 million)

 

9. Mounjaro

Movement: Not listed last month

What is it? Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug

Est. national TV ad spend: $16.9 million (up from $0 in October)

Number of spots: Four

Biggest-ticket ad: “What If: Julian” (est. $10.2 million)

 

10. Breztri Aerosphere

Movement: Down five spots

What is it? AstraZeneca’s respiratory therapy

Est. national TV ad spend: $15.3 million (down from $26.6 million in October)

Number of spots: One

Biggest-ticket ad: “Things Changed” (est. $15.3 million)