Drug ready to take PBS throne

Keeping true to predictions, MSD's Keytruda is gunning to become the highest earning drug in Australia with a huge surge in sales in the first quarter, being just pipped at the post by Vertex's Trikafta with the difference between first and second place a smidgen over $2 million.

Keytruda was predicted to be the top-selling drug for 2023, but ended up coming second to Trikafta. It was the top-selling drug globally though, and is expected to maintain that position in 2024.

Pharma in Focus analysed the on-patent brands that earned the most in pre-rebate reimbursements from the R/PBS in the first quarter of this year to find the top earners.