Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 26, 2025
3 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleThe US has announced a 100% tariff on imported branded drugs, impacting Asian and European pharmaceutical companies. Key drugs and manufacturing investments are highlighted.
SHANGHAI (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a 100% tariff on imports of branded drugs from October 1, unless their producers had already broken ground on U.S. manufacturing plants.
The European Union and Japan expressed confidence on Friday that they had secured limits on U.S. tariffs on pharmaceuticals.
Below are some of the patented medicines from Asian and European drugmakers imported into the U.S. from overseas manufacturing sites in countries including China, Switzerland, Japan, Belgium and France, according to analysts and drugmaker statements.
Lenvima
Japan's Eisai's cancer drug Lenvima is manufactured in Japan, J.P.Morgan wrote in a recent note. Its US sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 were 229.6 billion yen ($1.53 billion).
The company's US manufacturing site in Baltimore, Maryland, is responsible for producing a biodegradable implant used during surgeries, according to its website.
Crystvita
Kyowa Kirin's X-linked hypophosphataemia drug Crysvita is manufactured in Japan, according to J.P.Morgan.
In North America, the drug generated more than $1.3 billion net sales in its first four years on the market.
It is building a biologics manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina.
Shingrix
GSK's vaccine Shingrix, used to prevent shingles, contributed 3.36 billion pounds ($4.50 billion) in sales in 2024.
Its ingredients are manufactured in Belgium according to product labelling information provided in the National Institutes of Health platform and the U.S. FDA platform.
Arexvy
Arexvy is a vaccine developed by GSK to protect against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in adults. It contributed 590 million pounds in sales in 2024.
Its ingredients are made in Belgium and France according to product labelling information, given in NIH and U.S. FDA websites.
Ozempic
Novo Nordisk's diabetes drug, Ozempic, contributed 120.34 billion DKK ($18.85 billion) in sales in 2024. It is manufactured in Denmark, according to the product labelling information given in NIH.
In April, Novo Nordisk said it will invest 6.4 billion reais ($1.20 billion) in Brazil to boost production. The factory will cater to various product formats, including GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy.
Wegovy
Novo Nordisk's weightloss drug, Wegovy, contributed 58.21 billion DKK in sales in 2024. It is manufactured in Denmark, according to the product labelling information given in NIH.
Kymriah
Swiss drugmaker Novartis' cell therapy Kymriah is manufactured at its Stein site in Switzerland and at its U.S. facility in Morris Plains, New Jersey, which produces CAR-T therapies for individual patients and clinical trials, according to the company's website.
Its global sales for the first half of 2025 were $199 million.
Entresto
Novartis' heart-failure medicine Entresto is produced at Novartis manufacturing sites globally, with key stages of production taking place in Switzerland.
Its global sales for the first half of 2025 were $4.62 billion.
Novartis announced a $23 billion investment in April to build and expand 10 facilities in the U.S., including six new manufacturing plants and a research hub in San Diego.
Comirnaty
Germany’s BioNTech and Pfizer co-developed COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty. It is manufactured at BioNTech sites in Mainz and Marburg, Germany, and at Pfizer’s facility in Puurs, Belgium, according to the company.
BioNTech is the Marketing Authorization Holder for COMIRNATY and its adapted vaccines in the US, the EU, the UK and other countries.
(Sources: NIH, FDA, company websites, company press releases, analyst notes)
($1 = 149.8300 yen)
($1 = 6.3845 Danish crowns)
($1 = 0.7471 pounds)
($1 = 5.3437 reais)
(Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)
Branded drugs are medications marketed under a specific name by a pharmaceutical company, distinguishing them from generic versions.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing involves the production of medications and drugs, including the processes of formulation, packaging, and quality control.
Tariffs can increase the cost of imported goods, potentially leading to higher prices for consumers and affecting trade balances.
Patented medicines are drugs that are protected by patent law, granting exclusive rights to the manufacturer for a certain period.
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