World biosimilars market will reach $1.6 billion in 2012

Monday 16 April 2012, Amsterdam

A new report predicts that global revenues for biosimilars will reach $1.6 billion in 2012. Between 2011 and 2016, the world market will grow with a CAGR of 36.0%, according to Biosimilars and Follow-On Biologics: World Market 2012-2022, published in April 2012.

Experts forecast that monoclonal antibodies will become the largest sector of the biosimilars market by 2022. Biosimilar monoclonal antibodies will reach developed markets, such as the US and the EU, by the middle of the decade, with Roche’s Rituxan likely to be the first target. By 2016, revenues for the segment will reach $849m. By then, however, biosimilar insulin and insulin analogues will be the largest sector of the market, having grown since 2011 with a CAGR of 41.4%.

Richard Lang, a pharmaceutical industry analyst, said: “Biosimilars are an exciting opportunity for companies seeking to enter or maintain a presence in the biopharmaceutical industry. Sandoz and Teva are the major players in developed markets currently, although their position will be challenged in the near future by many other generics and Big Pharma companies. Merck & Co.’s potential $720m deal with Hanwha Chemical shows the level of money companies are willing to invest in this fast-growing market.”

This study forecasts revenues of six leading segments of the biosimilar market. In 2011, erythropoietins, G-CSF and growth hormones accounted for 42.1%. Products from these sectors are available in most major developed and emerging markets, although uptake is varied for each class. Sandoz’ Omnitrope (somatropin), for example, accounts for less than 5% of the US growth hormones market.

The new report also discusses leading national markets for biosimilars. In 2011, China was the largest national market, although with around 150 players, the market there is fragmented. The US market will remain small in 2012, as patents continue to cover many leading biologics. However, the release of draft development guidelines by the FDA in February 2012, as well as patent expiries from 2014 onwards, will cause strong growth towards the middle of the decade. By 2022, the US will be the world’s second largest market for biosimilars.

Rising incidence of diseases, cost restrictions by healthcare payers and biologic patent expiries will all act as growth drivers for this rapidly expanding industry and market. Increasing interest from leading pharmaceutical companies, multinational generics manufacturers and biotechnology companies will give strong growth for the world biosimilar market from 2012 onwards. Biosimilars and Follow-On Biologics: World Market 2012-2022.