We’re heading into the final quarter of the year, and things are heating up in the drug ad spending space.
For the first half of 2026, it was a straight battle between two immunology drugs: AbbVie’s Skyrizi and Johnson & Johnson’s Tremfya, both of which have competed to see who will take the crown as this year’s biggest drug ad spender.
But then in came a potential new claimant to the throne in UCB’s rival immunology therapy Bimzelx, which, rather unexpectedly, has parachuted into the drug ad spending rankings and taken the lead in the third quarter.
That’s according to a new roundup of spending for drug commercials from analysts at iSpot.TV for Q3. This surge may be too late to present a challenge for the overall win, but Bimzelx’s numbers are also being supercharged by a new metric added in from iSpot last month: streaming.
We have for many years focused solely on linear TV ads when arranging these lists, but the advent of higher spend outside of this traditional medium has required new data points. This has in part shaken up the top of the drug ad spend rankings.
J&J and AbbVie are still on course to be one of the final victors when things shake out at year’s end, but we will be watching the next quarter very closely.
Check out the Q3 ad spending list from iSpot below.
1. Bimzelx
Movement: N/A
What is it? UCB’s immunology drug
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $152.9 million total (59.19% streaming / 40.81% linear)
- Hidradenitis suppurativa: $42.6 million total (58.55% streaming / 41.45% linear)
- Psoriasis: $63.9 million total (52.78% streaming / 47.22% linear)
- Psoriatic arthritis: $46.5 million total (68.60% streaming / 31.40% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: NFL Network (21.24%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: NFL (28.76%)
Number of linear spots: 12 (four psoriasis, two hidradenitis suppurativa, six psoriatic arthritis)
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'I'm Back: Showing Out' (est. $17.6 million)
2. Skyrizi
Movement: N/A
What is it? AbbVie’s immunology therapy
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $135.7 million total (37.45% streaming / 62.55% linear)
- Crohn's/UC: $63.7 million total (35.73% streaming / 64.27% linear)
- Psoriasis: $63.2 million total (40.12% streaming / 59.88% linear)
- Psoriatic arthritis: $8.8 million total (30.77% streaming / 69.23% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: NBC (20.67%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: America’s Got Talent (3.77%)
Number of linear spots: Nine (three psoriasis, five Crohn’s/UC, one psoriatic arthritis)
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): ‘Ready for the Moment’ (est. $21.1 million)
3. Rinvoq
Movement: N/A
What is it? AbbVie’s JAK immunology therapy
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $117.4 million total (37.75% streaming / 62.25% linear)
- Arthritis: $40.2 million total (30.69% streaming / 69.31% linear)
- Eczema: $30.3 million total (30.82% streaming / 69.18% linear)
- UC/Crohn's: $32.2 million total (24.71% streaming / 75.29% linear)
- AS: $14.7 million total (100% streaming)
Top linear TV network by spend SOV: NBC (26.18%)
Top linear TV program by spend SOV: America’s Got Talent (3.92%)
Number of linear spots: Four (one arthritis, two eczema, one UC/Crohn's disease)
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'Another Day' (est. $27.8 million)
4. Tremfya
Movement: N/A
What is it? Johnson & Johnson’s immunology drug
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $111.3 million total (31.21% streaming / 68.79% linear)
- Psoriasis: $4.3 million total (40.39% streaming / 59.61% linear)
- Psoriatic arthritis: $27.6 million total (22.89% streaming / 77.11% linear)
- UC/Crohn’s: $79.5 million total (33.60% streaming / 66.40% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: NBC (15.39%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: NFL (7.65%)
Number of linear spots: Six (two psoriasis, one Crohn’s/UC, three psoriatic arthritis) Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'Relentless Weed’ (est. $52.8 million)
5. Caplyta
Movement: N/A
What is it? Johnson & Johnson’s atypical antipsychotic drug
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $107.9 million total (41.49% streaming / 58.51% linear)
- Bipolar: $62.1 million total (54.93% streaming / 45.07% linear)
- MDD: $45.8 million total (23.25% streaming / 76.75% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: ABC (14.43%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: NFL (5.00%)
Number of linear spots: Three (two MDD, one bipolar)
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'Missing Out' (est. $28 million)
6. Foundayo
Movement: N/A
What is it? Eli Lilly’s obesity pill
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $104 million total (69.54% streaming / 30.46% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: NBC (29.95%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: NFL (29.23%)
Number of linear spots: Seven
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'Weight Management: Martha's House Rules’ (est. $16.5 million)
7. Icotyde
Movement: N/A
What is it? J&J’s oral moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis drug
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $91.7 million total (44.38% streaming / 55.62% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: ABC (20.38%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: FIFA World Cup 2026 (10.30%)
Number of linear spots: One
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'Unbelievable' (est. $51 million)
8. Wegovy
Movement: N/A
What is it? Novo’s obesity drug
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $80.6 million total (68.35% streaming / 31.65% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: NBC (36.41%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: NFL (51.49%)
Number of linear spots: Three
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'Game Plan' (est. $18.4 million)
9. Dupixent
Movement: N/A
What is it? Sanofi and Regeneron’s immunology drug
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $71 million total (55.95% streaming / 44.05% linear)
- Asthma/COPD: $9.4 million total (53.66% streaming / 46.34% linear)
- Eczema: $51.5 million total (55.24% streaming / 44.76% linear)
- Gastrointestinal: $2.1 million total (93.41% streaming / 6.59% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: ABC (32.47%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: ABC World News Tonight With David Muir (10.42%)
Number of linear spots: Ten (three gastrointestinal, three asthma/COPD, four eczema)
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'Feel the Heal' (est. $14.8 million)
10. Vraylar
Movement: N/A
What is it? AbbVie’s neurology drug
Est. cross-platform TV ad spend: $26.6 million total (48.88% streaming / 51.12% linear)
- Bipolar: $13.2 million total (65.30% streaming / 34.70% linear)
- Depression: $13.4 million total (39.18% streaming / 60.82% linear)
Top linear TV network by linear spend SOV: CBS (17.89%)
Top linear TV program by linear spend SOV: Beyond the Gates (5.76%)
Number of linear spots: Four (one bipolar, three depression)
Biggest-ticket ad (by linear TV ad spend): 'Jane's Head' (est. $17.1 million)