Sarcoidosis Therapeutics Market is Forecast to Witness Static Growth until 2019

Tuesday 13 March 2012, Amsterdam

This analysis shows that the global sarcoidosis therapeutics market stood at $138.6m in 2006, and grew at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.1% to reach $153.9m in 2011. They forecasts that the global sarcoidosis therapeutics market will grow at a CAGR of 3.4% over the next eight years to reach $201.7m by 2019. Currently, there is no approved drug to treat or cure sarcoidosis. Due to the unavailability of approved therapies, the current line of treatment is dominated by off-label therapies, such as corticosteroids (cortisone, prednisone and prednisolone), immunosuppressant drugs (methotrexate, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, Mycophenolate mofetil and leflunomide), Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) alpha blockers (infliximab, etanercept and adalimumab), anti-malarial drugs (chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine), and other anti-inflammatory drugs. The static growth of the sarcoidosis therapeutics market during the forecast period is primarily due to the unavailability of approved drugs, low diagnosis rate of the condition, and lack of company-sponsored novel molecules in a late stage of development. Owing to these factors, the sarcoidosis therapeutics market is expected to witness static growth until 2019.


Weak Sarcoidosis Therapeutics Market has No Approved Treatment Options

An analysis suggests that the current competition in the sarcoidosis therapeutics market is weak, which can be mainly attributed to the unavailability of approved drugs. Currently, there is no approved drug for the treatment of sarcoidosis. The majority of sarcoidosis patients receive off-label treatment options such as corticosteroids, immunosuppressant drugs, TNF-alpha blockers, and other anti-inflammatory drugs. The efficacy of these off-label drugs is not clinically proven, and they also have safety related limitations. Therefore, the market holds an opportunity for a drug candidate which can offer better efficacy and better safety with disease modifying properties.


Sarcoidosis Therapeutics Pipeline Lacks Company Sponsored Molecule in Late Stage of Development

According the analysis, the current sarcoidosis therapeutics pipeline is weak. The pipeline consists of 11 molecules, of which two are in Phase III, six are in Phase II, and remaining three molecules are in Phase I stage of development. Phase III contributes for 18%, Phase II for 55% and Phase I contributes for a 27% share of the total pipeline. Overall, the pipeline contains eight First-In-Class (FIC) molecules, one generic molecule and one product extension molecule. The sarcoidosis therapeutics does not contain any company sponsored molecules in the late stage of development. Phase III of clinical development includes two molecules which are both university sponsored.


Significant Unmet Need for More Effective and Safer Treatment Options to Combat the Diseased Condition

This analysis shows that the sarcoidosis therapeutics market has significant unmet need, due to the unavailability of approved treatment options, the need for disease modifying therapies, and the challenging nature of diagnosis due to symptom variation based upon the organ system involved. Currently, there is no approved drug for the treatment of sarcoidosis. Owing to the unavailability of approved therapy, most patients with sarcoidosis use off-label drugs such as corticosteroids, immunosuppressant drugs, TNF-alpha blockers, and other anti-inflammatory drugs. These off-label drugs have efficacy and safety related limitations. This leaves a considerable unmet need in current sarcoidosis therapeutics market for a safe and effective drug candidate.

Diagnosis of sarcoidosis is also challenging as signs and symptoms of the condition are very broad, sometimes mimicking symptoms of other diseases. Symptoms can also vary widely according to the organ system affected by the disorder. This can lead to a delay in diagnosis, or inappropriate treatment, therefore demonstrating a need for an increase in awareness of sarcoidosis among the public and medical professionals. Advances made in diagnostic techniques could reduce the possibility of misdiagnosis by ruling out similar and confusable conditions.