The Russian retail market for acne therapy drugs is showing rapid growth, characterized by a high concentration of demand in the capital regions and the growing popularity of oral drugs. The main driver of sales is the group of isotretinoin-based drugs.

Retail sales of anti-acne drugs, including topical products, continue their upward trend. In the first seven months of 2026, consumption volume exceeded 8 million packages, which is 16% higher than in the same period last year. Since the beginning of the year, Russians have spent more than RUB 13.1 billion on this group (at retail prices, including VAT). At the same time, the category shows faster growth in spending (+28% in rubles). This trend is a continuation of 2025, when the pharmacy sector sold 12.3 million packages of such products worth RUB 18.5 billion. Compared to the previous year, the physical market volume increased by 25%, while consumer spending grew by 43%.

According to the "Retail Audit of Drug Sales in Russia (total sell out)" from the analytical company RNC Pharma, the cost structure in the analyzed category is characterized by the predominance of oral drugs, which account for more than 55% of revenue, while the topical segment forms the main part of physical consumption, accounting for about 69% of the total packages sold. The territorial distribution of demand shows a high degree of centralization around the capital region. In January–July 2026, Moscow accounted for more than 15.5% of the total market's monetary volume, significantly ahead of other federal subjects, with the closest leaders being Moscow Oblast and Saint Petersburg with shares of 8% and 7%, respectively. In total, the top five leading regions account for about 38% of the market's monetary volume. Moreover, these federal subjects were characterized by pronounced consumption growth during the reporting period, with the highest growth rates recorded in Moscow Oblast, where the indicator increased by 31% compared to the same period in 2025. Overall, positive ruble sales dynamics were observed in all regions of the country without exception. Physical demand similarly grew across all of Russia, with the most intensive increase in package sales shown by such federal subjects as the Chechen Republic (+44%), the Altai Republic (+35%), and Nenets Autonomous Okrug (+34%).

From January to July 2026, the national average consumption level of acne drugs was 52 packages per 1,000 people. The highest per capita consumption was recorded in Saint Petersburg, where 89.8 packages were sold per 1,000 residents, of which 58.9 packages were from the topical segment. Second place was taken by Moscow with 85.6 packages per 1,000 people. Rounding out the top three, Moscow Oblast showed 74.6 packages per 1,000 people, also significantly exceeding the national figures. In total, 18 regions managed to exceed the national average threshold of 52 packages per 1,000 residents. The key driver of the analyzed category is isotretinoin-based drugs, with the absolute leadership in the market held by the oral drug Acnecutane (Jadran), whose share reached 32.9% in value terms. Second place is occupied by the brand Sotret from Sun Pharma with a 13.2% share of total retail sales, and the top three is rounded out by the original Roaccutane from Roche, accounting for 8.7% of revenue. Thus, all three leading brands are represented by isotretinoin-based drugs.