The market for non-narcotic analgesics (EphMRA groups M01A and N02B) remains one of the largest segments of the Russian retail pharmaceutical market. Based on the results of January–November 2025, the combined sales volume of these groups exceeded RUB 113.7 billion (at retail prices, including VAT). Total consumer spending in the category increased by 12.4% compared with the same period in 2024. Over the eleven-month period, Russian consumers purchased 524.2 million packs of these medicines, with physical consumption rising by 2.1% year on year. From 2022 to 2024, natural demand in this category had been declining, while value sales consistently demonstrated double-digit growth rates.

Demand for analgesics within these groups does not show pronounced seasonality; however, sales tend to increase during the autumn–winter period as well as in spring. In 2025, such increases were observed in March, August, and September. In March, consumers purchased more than 51 million packs of the relevant products, amounting to RUB 10.9 billion. The lowest level of consumption was recorded in June, when 44.6 million packs were sold for a total of RUB 9.9 billion.

According to data from the RNC Pharma database Audit of Retail Sales of Medicines in Russia (total sell out), more than half of total physical demand for non-narcotic analgesics is accounted for by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory antirheumatic drugs (NSAIDs). During the reporting period, these products represented approximately 55.5% of sales in packs and more than 75.6% in value terms. Moreover, this is one of the broadest categories on the pharmaceutical market in terms of assortment: around 790 NSAID SKUs were available in retail during the period. At the same time, this category is consistently displacing traditional analgesic-antipyretic products, including combination medicines based on paracetamol, acetylsalicylic acid, and other components, for which physical demand has been declining for the third consecutive year.

Overall, as of January–November 2025, the retail segment (including the online channel) featured more than 240 brands of analgesics across both groups, represented by 177 corporations. No significant changes were observed in the brand ranking over the year, with the top four positions remaining unchanged. Nurofen, produced by Reckitt Benckiser, continues to lead the category, accounting for 9.6% of total value sales. Compared with January–November 2024, the brand demonstrated growth of 14% in value terms and 8% in packs. The second position is held by the domestic product Pentalgin, manufactured by Otcpharm, with a 7.2% value share; spending on this product increased by 10% year on year. Third place belongs to Nimesil by Menarini, which accounted for 6.6% of value sales in the category, with value growth of 10%. The product also showed strong physical growth, with pack sales increasing by 27% year on year. This growth was driven by the effervescent tablet form of Nimesil, demand for which increased sevenfold compared with January–November 2024.

Outside the top ten, notable products include Athermic (INN: ibuprofen + paracetamol) by Renewal and Diagistan (INN: diacerein) by Grotex. Both products entered the market in 2024 and demonstrated significant value growth: sales of Athermic increased by more than 1,000 times, while Diagistan recorded growth of 63%.

Table. TOP-10 analgesic brands on the Russian retail pharmaceutical market (EphMRA groups M01A – nonsteroidal antirheumatic drugs; N02B – analgesic-antipyretics), January–November 2025