Investors in AbbVie (ABBV-$53.34)
are reminded each quarterly earnings release of the continued importance of
Humira to the drug maker's success. AbbVie's flagship drug, an efficacious treatment for autoimmune
diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriasis, contributed $10.7
billion in global sales (56% of worldwide revenue of $18.8 billion) last year.
AbbVie is spending more than 16% of annual sales to develop a
pipeline -- including promising treatments for multiple sclerosis, blood
cancers, and hepatitis-C (across all patient types) - with the goal of
reducing its dependence on Humira. Fortunately, the Chicago-based drug
manufacturer has a stable of off-patent, legacy drugs that contribute sizable
sales to this R&D effort.
Read more at The Motley Fool: Can
AbbVie's Legacy Products Deliver Further Growth?
