Despite sanctions and expectations of a complete withdrawal of foreign businesses, international pharmaceutical companies continue to hold key positions in the Russian medicines market. Based on the results of the first ten months of 2025, they account for more than 60% of sales in value terms and 36.9% in volume.
International presence is especially pronounced in the segment of original (innovative) medicines: their share reaches 89.2% in value terms and 83.6% in packs. Analysts note that these figures contradict forecasts of a massive reduction in supplies and indicate the absence of abrupt changes in the market.
“The share of foreign pharmaceutical manufacturers has remained virtually unchanged over the past five years. In this respect, unlike many other markets, the pharmaceutical industry demonstrates remarkable stability. The share of domestic manufacturers is gradually increasing, but this growth is mainly driven by generic medicines,” said Sergey Shulyak, CEO of DSM Group.
The contribution of international pharma remains most significant in the treatment of socially important diseases. In oncology, the share of such medicines this year reached 74.2% in value terms; in diabetes treatment it amounted to 60.7%, and in the immunosuppressants segment to 60.8%. In pack terms, the indicators are lower, reflecting the higher cost of innovative medicines compared with generics.
A similar picture is observed in the list of essential and vital medicines (EVM). Products of international companies account for 60.6% of this segment in value terms and 36.3% in packs. The share of localized products in the EVM list remains significantly lower—around 10% in ruble terms.
In October, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko stated that the ratio of Russian to foreign medicines on the pharmaceutical market had reached 70% to 30%. According to him, domestic medicines account for seven out of ten packs sold in pharmacies. In value terms, the share of Russian medicines stands at 40%, while foreign medicines account for 60%, he noted.
Source: GMP News, December 24, 2025.
