Since 2023, sales of specific drugs for the treatment of leprosy (EphMRA group J04B) have been growing rapidly in our country. While these are still relatively small absolute volumes — for example, in Q1–Q2 2026, Russian pharmacies sold a total of 3,122 packages of such drugs worth RUB 5.42 million (at retail prices, including VAT) — the growth rate compared to Q1–Q2 2025 was 13.5% in packages, and the ruble volume increased by 14.9% during this period. Comparable dynamics have been recorded for the fourth consecutive year. In 2025, pharmacies sold a total of 5,956 packages (+10.5% compared to 2024) of anti-leprosy drugs worth RUB 10.2 million (+13.6% compared to 2024).

In retail, this group is represented by antimicrobial drugs based on dapsone. In particular, Dapsone from Pharmzashchita accounts for 99.7% of the retail market. Sales of Dapsone-Fatol from the German company Riemser Pharma are also recorded in trace amounts; in Q1–Q2 2026, we recorded sales of only 9 packages of this drug. In clinical practice, another specific drug — clofazimine — may also be used. In 2025, it was supplied to the market by the Russian company Pharmconcept for the first time in 10 years, but its sales in pharmacies have not yet been recorded. In addition, clinical guidelines for leprosy treatment include the use of non-specific agents, such as fluoroquinolones and rifampicin monotherapy as part of combination therapy. Interestingly, retail sales of the latter also show a rapid upward trend: in Q1–Q2 2026, pharmacies sold 17.5 thousand packages of such drugs worth RUB 5.1 million, which increased by 34% in packages and 28% in rubles over the year. However, this drug is not frequently used for leprosy treatment (once a month), so the dynamics here are most likely driven by tuberculosis incidence.

Sales of dapsone drugs have a distinct geographical specificity. The absolute leader in terms of physical sales volume is Moscow, where a total of 564 packages were sold in Q1–Q2 2026, with volume increasing by 31% over the year. However, this is far from a record growth rate; for example, in Altai Krai and Smolensk Oblast, sales more than doubled over the year, though these are relatively small volumes: 66 and 46 packages, respectively. The top ten Russian federal subjects with the largest retail sales volumes of leprosy drugs also include Moscow Oblast — where 253 packages were sold in Q1–Q2 2026 — Krasnodar Krai (166 packages), and Saint Petersburg (154 packages).

It is worth noting that despite its absolute leadership in total consumption, in terms of per capita consumption, Moscow ranks only 4th. Here, only 0.043 packages of anti-leprosy drugs per 1,000 people were sold in Q1–Q2 2026; nevertheless, this corresponds to 4th place in the overall regional ranking. The absolute leader in per capita terms during the analyzed period is Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (0.125 packages per 1,000 people) and the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (0.053 packages per 1,000 people); in absolute terms, only 6 and 25 packages were sold there, respectively. At the same time, we cannot assert a direct link to leprosy incidence rates. Although leprosy is the primary indication for dapsone drugs, they may also be used for other conditions, including dermatitis herpetiformis, bullous pemphigoid, and vasculitis.

Table. Volume and Dynamics of Retail Sales of Anti-Leprosy Drugs (EphMRA Group J04B) in Russia