Thanks to a huge end-of-year splurge, AbbVie’s immunology drug Rinvoq has retaken the top spot as having the biggest TV drug ad spend in November, knocking down October’s winner, and AbbVie’s fierce rival Dupixent, into second place.
Last month it was a close-run situation: Sanofi and partner Regeneron retook the crown with its massive $42.6 million spend for Dupixent ads in October, toppling the three-month reign AbbVie’s Rinvoq had enjoyed.
However, the margins of victory were tiny. AbbVie spent $41.7 million in October on Rinvoq, less than $1 million under Sanofi’s total.
But in November Sanofi’s spend dropped dramatically, down from that $42.6 million in October to just $25.4 million, according to real-time ad trackers iSpot.TV. AbbVie, meanwhile, is clearly feeling flush with cash as it upped its spend by $14.1 million to $55.8 million, also making it the single largest spend of any month this year for one drug.
It also had room left in the ad budget for its second immunology drug Skyrizi, which came in third place for November with $21.1 million in spend.
In at fourth place is Pfizer’s new psoriasis drug Cibinqo, up three spots from last month as it looks to try and compete with the big immunology players in AbbVie and Sanofi.
In at fifth is the perennial top 10 listed Ozempic, one of two GLP-1 diabetes drug from Novo Nordisk, while another familiar face in Rexulti, the atypical antipsychotic from Otsuka and Lundbeck is sixth, and up two spots from last month.
Seventh-placed is Eli Lilly’s breast cancer treatment Verzenio, up two spots from last month and seeing several appearances in the top 10 this year; an unusual move for a cancer drug, which typically doesn’t have a high level of TV ad spending.
In eighth place is ViiV’s HIV drug Dovato, a rare appearance for the drug, though coming just before World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, which could have had a bearing on its ad work beforehand.
In at number nine is Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s diabetes drug Jardiance and rounding off the top 10 is Novo Nordisk’s second GLP-1 diabetes drug Rybelsus.
Total spend for the top 10 in November was $202 million, slightly down from October, when spending totaled $206.2 million.
But that’s still a huge total in comparison to the rest of the year, with both October and November’s figures massively up on September’s $164.4 million, and way up on the $120 million monthly average we’ve seen for most of the year.
Check out the top 10 and their biggest ticket ads below.
1.Rinvoq
Movement: Up 1 spot
What is it? AbbVie immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $55.8 million (up from $41.7 million in October)
Number of spots: Four (two eczema, one arthritis, one UC)
Biggest-ticket ad: “River Rafting and Challenge Course” (est. $26 million)
2. Dupixent
Movement: Down 1 spot
What is it? Sanofi and Regeneron immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $25.4 million (down from $42.6 million in October)
Number of spots: Seven (five eczema, two asthma)
Biggest-ticket ad: “Du More: Kick Boxing” (est. $10.8 million)
3. Skyrizi
Movement: Up 1 spot
What is it? AbbVie immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $21.1 million (up from $19.6 million in October)
Number of spots: Three
Biggest-ticket ad: “Kayaking” (est. $10.7 million)
4. Cibinqo
Movement: Up 3 spots
What is it? Pfizer dermatology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $16.3 million (up from $13.7 million in October)
Number of spots: Two
Biggest-ticket ad: “Make Your Move” (est. $12.9 million)
5. Ozempic
Movement: Up 1 spot
What is it? Novo Nordisk GLP-1 diabetes drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $15.5 million (down from $15.6 million in October)
Number of spots: One
Biggest-ticket ad: “Ozempic Tri-zone” (est. $15.5 million)
6. Rexulti
Movement: Up 2 spots
What is it? Otsuka and Lundbeck bipolar and schizophrenia drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $15.2 million (up from $12.2 million in October)
Number of spots: Two
Biggest-ticket ad: “Auto Pilot” (est. $10.0 million)
7. Verzenio
Movement: Up 2 spots
What is it? Eli Lilly breast cancer drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $14.8 million (up from $11.9 million in October)
Number of spots: Three
Biggest-ticket ad: “Finding My Way Forward” (est. $7.9 million)
8. Dovato
Movement: Not listed last month
What is it? ViiV HIV drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $14.1 million (up from $8.7 million in October)
Number of spots: Four
Biggest-ticket ad: “Detect This” (est. $8.4 million)
9. Jardiance
Movement: Down 4 spots
What is it? Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim diabetes drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $12.4 million (up from $15.8 million in October)
Number of spots: Two
Biggest-ticket ad: “On It” (est. $12.3 million)
10. Rybelsus
Movement: No change
What is it? Novo Nordisk GLP-1 diabetes drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $11.4 million (up from $10.5 million in October)
Number of spots: Three
Biggest-ticket ad: “Rays A1C” (est. $8.7 million)