BMS' Opdivo jumps back into pharma's top 3 TV ad spenders for November

Bristol-Myers Squibb's cancer-fighter Opdivo moved up into the No. 3 spot on pharma's list of top TV ad spenders for November.

Opdivo is back—on pharma's list of top TV spenders, that is. Coming in at No. 3 for November with almost $21 million spent, according to real-time TV tracker, the Bristol-Myers Squibb cancer-fighter hit its highest monthly total yet.

The most-run November ad, which describes Opdivo as the “most prescribed immunotherapy,” originally debuted in May and BMS shelled out $20.7 million in November on it, for a total of $54.9 million on TV airings so far, according to data from Opdivo has another ad airing that began last fall, and together the two ads total more than $111 million spent through last week, according to iSpot.

BMS faced considerable pushback after its Opdivo TV ads launched, most notably in an emotional and scathing critique in a New York Times op-ed piece written by the husband of a woman who died of lung cancer. He called the ads “misleading and exploitative,” with hundreds of readers writing in their agreement. Part of the problem, noted then, is that immuno-oncology drugs can be extremely effective, but they don’t work for every patient.




Retaining the top spot on our monthly TV spending list for November was AbbVie’s anti-inflammatory med Humira, with $27.5 million spent, followed by Pfizer’s Eliquis at $21 million.

The top 10 total for November was almost $170 million, down from $193 million in October.

1. Humira
Movement: Stayed same
What is it? AbbVie anti-inflammatory drug
Total estimated spending: $27.5M (down from $39.1M in Oct.)
Number of spots: 7 (3 for arthritis, 2 for ulcerative colitis/Crohn's, 2 for psoriasis)
Biggest-ticket ad: "Break the Silence” for Crohn’s/colitis (est. $9.1 M)

2. Eliquis
Movement: Up from No. 3
What is it? Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb anticoagulant
Total estimated spending: $21M (up from $20.8M in Oct.)
Number of spots: 3
Biggest-ticket ad: "DVT and PE blood clots: Camping” (est. $11.4M)

3. Opdivo
Movement: Not on list in October
What is it? Bristol-Myers Squibb PD-1 cancer-fighter
Total estimated spending: $20.7M
Number of spots: 1
Biggest-ticket ad: “Most Prescribed Immunotherapy”

4. Viagra
Movement: Up from No. 6
What is it? Pfizer erectile dysfunction treatment
Total estimated spending: $17.5M (down from $17.8M in Oct.)
Number of spots: 3
Biggest-ticket ad: "Single Packs: Cruising" (est. $6.7M)

5. Cosentyx
Movement: Not on list in October
What is it? Novartis next-gen psoriasis medication
Total estimated spending: $17.4M
Number of spots: 1
Biggest-ticket ad: “See Me”

6. Lyrica
Movement: Down from No. 2
What is it? Pfizer seizure and pain drug
Total estimated spending: $15.8M (down from $29.6M in Oct.)
Number of spots: 6
Biggest-ticket ad: "Helping Others" (est. $5M)

7. Xeljanz XR
Movement: Up from No. 8
What is it? Pfizer oral rheumatoid arthritis therapy
Total estimated spending: $13.98M (down from $14.3M in Oct.)
Number of spots: 2
Biggest-ticket ad: "Better Things” (est. $13.96M)

8. Prevnar 13
Last month: Not on list in October
What is it? Pfizer pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine
Total estimated spending: $12M
Number of spots: 2
Biggest-ticket ad: "Scary” (est. $10.4M)

9. Cialis
Movement: Down from No. 5
What is it? Eli Lilly erectile dysfuntion treatment
Total estimated spending: $11.6M (down from $17.8M in Oct.)
Number of spots: 5
Biggest-ticket ad: "A Moment Turns Romantic" (est. $7.4 million)

10. Latuda
Movement: Down from No. 4
What is it? Sunovion Pharmaceutical anti-psychotic
Total estimated spending: $11.2 M (down from $18.1M in Oct.)
Number of spots: 2
Biggest-ticket ad: "Maya's Story" (est. $7.9M)


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