There are about 11 manufacturing pharmaceutical companies in Lebanon, with close to 100 importers and distributors of pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical market size stood at USD 1.82 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow to USD 2.3 billion in 2022.
The main pharma manufacturing in Lebanon is patent medicines (50%) with over-the-counter drugs and generics taking 25% of the market. Lebanon import pharmaceuticals from countries such as Germany (15%), the US (11.7%), Switzerland (10%), Ireland (4.7%), Italy (7.3%), and France (9%) while they export to neighbours such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Lebanon manufactures a good number of generic medicines in the MENA region.
Lebanon imports roughly 80% of its drug needs, spending close to $900 million on drug imports in 2021.
Pharmaline has the largest share of the local pharma market with 40% sales, with Benta Pharma (32%), Algorithm (15%), and Mediphar (12%) taking up significant shares.
The Syndicate of the Pharmaceutical Industries in Lebanon, started in 2016, comprises pharmaceutical companies in Lebanon that the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health has certified to meet the international good manufacturing practices standards.
