How does lipitor's asp price differ from similar drugs?

Lipitor's average sales price (ASP) sits roughly 15-20% below the ASP of brand-name statins such as Crestor and Zocor when all are measured at the same dosage strength.

What drives the price gap?
Patent loss in 2011 opened the market to generic atorvastatin, and the resulting competition lowered Lipitor's ASP faster than drugs that still hold active patents or have fewer generic entrants.

How do biosimilars and other statins compare?
Crestor (rosuvastatin) still carries a higher ASP because its patent protections and fewer approved generics keep pricing elevated. Zocor (simvastatin), which lost exclusivity earlier, shows an ASP profile closer to generic atorvastatin, though slightly higher in some dosage tiers.

When will the ASP gap narrow further?
Generic atorvastatin already faces additional price pressure from multiple manufacturers, so further declines are expected until the lowest-cost producers reach capacity limits.

Where does the data come from?
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services quarterly ASP files track these figures; they show atorvastatin's price erosion has been steeper than rosuvastatin's but comparable to simvastatin's once both faced full generic competition.