Next-generation antibody therapies are becoming established treatments for haematological malignancies and solid tumours (phase 3) pipelines are relatively sparse, however, with most pipeline candidates in phase 1 or phase 2 of development. Growth will be rapid from the middle of the forecast period as new therapies are approved. New therapies will likely compete with currently marketed monoclonal antibodies, biosimilars, and novel small molecule drugs. Increasing collaboration between biotechnology and big pharma companies will drive pipeline development, which may result in the dominance of a small number of technology platforms, as seen for example in the market for antibody-drug conjugates.
The lead analyst of the report commented "Success for developers of next-generation antibody therapies will depend on a number of factors, including having a technology platform that offers some advantage over standard monoclonal antibodies, the ability to advance a novel therapy through proof of concept, and partnership opportunities with Big Pharma.
Products that offer superior or additional efficacy compared to currently available therapies will be needed in order to compete against existing therapies and the biosimilars that are expected to become available for these therapies in developed markets. Alternatively, targeting new indications and new antigens will expand the potential in the market."
Leading companies featured in the report include Amgen, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Kirin Holdings (Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd.), Merck KGaA, Novartis AG, Pfizer, Inc., Roche, Sanofi, Seattle Genetics, Inc., Shire plc