Respiratory medicine volumes double in December due to poor air quality, seasonal factors

medicines

• Respiratory drug sales grew 5.2% in Dec 2025, outpacing overall pharma market
• Anti-asthma and COPD products drove 61% of respiratory segment value growth
• Cipla's Foracort ranked second in India by value, showing strong monthly growth

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The respiratory medication sales outpaced the market in December 2025, with volumes growing roughly twice as fast as the broader Indian pharmaceutical market (IPM) led by seasonal factors, pollution‑driven respiratory ailments in northern and urban India during winter and rising chronic use of inhalers for asthma and COPD.

According to the latest PharmaTrac data, the respiratory unit sales rose 5.2 percent versus 2.6% for the overall IPM, while value growth held firm at 10.1 percent for respiratory compared with 10.6 percent for IPM, underscoring a demand-led finish to the year.

The total market value of respiratory segment is Rs.18,913 crore in 2025 growing at 10 percent YoY, representing 8 percent of the total IPM.

The December outperformance on volumes signals true consumption rather than price-only uplift, a mix consistent with a therapy anchored in controlled inhalers and specialist care rather than episodic OTC demand. By contrast, overall IPM unit growth 2.6 percent lagged, indicating broader market momentum leaned more on price than on patient uptake.

What’s driving it?

PharmaTrac points to structural tailwinds: urban air‑pollution flare‑ups in winter months, rising diagnosis of asthma/COPD, and stronger adherence to maintenance inhalers. Within respiratory, anti‑asthma & COPD products account for 61 percent of segment value and delivered robust growth over the year, while cough & cold (about 24%) added seasonal support despite growing over-the-counter sales. December’s pattern reinforces a shift toward controller therapies over acute treatment.

On a MAT basis (12 months to December), respiratory registered 10 percent value growth and 7.8 percent unit growth—among the stronger chronic categories in 2025—reflecting deepening physician preference for inhaled corticosteroids and steady patient adherence in metro markets.

For companies with inhaler-led portfolios—Cipla, GSK, Glenmark, Lupin, and Zydus, among others—this volume outperformance supports sustainable revenue visibility through 2026, even as pricing remains regulated.

The month’s brand table shows Cipla’s Foracort among December’s top sellers by value ranked second in India, with double‑digit monthly value growth, reflecting continued traction in combination inhalers; Budecort also posted solid December gains, and Duolin (another Cipla inhalation brand) delivered 12% value growth with 13 percent unit growth, highlighting breadth across the company’s portfolio. These brand‑level prints support the thesis that controller inhalers are driving both volume and value.

PharmaTrac’s base-case outlook calls for respiratory growth of 8–9 per cent in 2026, with pollution, demographics, and maintenance-therapy adherence acting as structural, not just seasonal, catalysts.

"Fixed‑dose combinations and deeper penetration into tier‑2/3 cities should continue to support pricing and volumes, even as competition and OTCisation keep pressure on mass‑market cough/cold syrups," the report said.