Zacks.com has highlighted four major pharmaceutical companies, Eli Lilly (LLY), Novartis (NVS), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), and AbbVie (ABBV), as key players in the arthritis drug market, citing their potential for growth. Arthritis remains a significant global health challenge, with 21.1% of American adults diagnosed in 2025, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization also notes that musculoskeletal conditions are major contributors to disability worldwide.
Eli Lilly's arthritis portfolio includes Taltz (ixekizumab), which generated $1.59 billion in first-half sales, and Olumiant (baricitinib) for rheumatoid arthritis. The company is also developing retatrutide, an investigational triple hormone receptor agonist, which showed promising results in reducing knee osteoarthritis pain by up to 4.3 points in phase III studies. Lilly plans to submit a biologics license application for retatrutide in the first quarter of 2027.
Novartis's Cosentyx (secukinumab) and Ilaris (canakinumab) are key contributors to its arthritis-related revenue, with first-half 2026 sales of $3.39 billion and $1.03 billion, respectively. Cosentyx recently received European Commission approval for treating polymyalgia rheumatica, expanding its commercial reach. Johnson & Johnson's Tremfya (guselkumab) saw a 70.6% year-over-year sales increase to $3.65 billion, driven by strong growth across its approved indications.
AbbVie's immunology portfolio, including Rinvoq (upadacitinib), Humira (adalimumab), and Skyrizi (risankizumab), delivered strong first-half 2026 growth. Skyrizi sales rose 27.3% to $9.99 billion, while Rinvoq sales increased 24% to $4.64 billion. AbbVie recently expanded Skyrizi's approval to include children aged six years and older with active psoriatic arthritis.