The World Asthma and COPD Treatment Market, 2006-2011: A Changing Market with Increasing Potential

Introduction

The asthma treatment market is a $15 billion market, driven by an increasing prevalence and yet without a treatment to cure this debilitating disease. All current drugs treat the symptoms but not the underlying cause. It is currently dominated by GSK with its $5.5 billion blockbuster, Advair/Seretide. However, this combination treatment is about to have its first real competition with Symbicort approved for the US market in July 2006. Combination drugs appear likely to dominate the mid-term forecast period as assessed by visiongain.

Pivotal Period

However, a closer look at the potential for this market sees an approaching pivotal period, which could well see considerable change as well as additional growth. New companies are developing products with novel modes of action. The monoclonal antibodies, for so long heralded as the most significant advance the pharmaceutical industry has developed in a number of years, appear to be ready to fulfill their potential in the asthma market.

Concern

Yet there are concerns. There is currently only one available mAb for asthma treatment - Xolair. It is more expensive than other asthma drugs and is only used for patients who have difficult to control asthma. Yet the standard drug treatments are also under examination. Concern over the overuse of steroid treatments has been compounded by recent revelations of possible safety concerns over the long-term use of beta-2 agonist reliever treatments.

The dominant company in this market is GSK but it may see its position slip as new drug treatments enter the market.

Why you should buy this report:

• The asthma treatment market is large and is set to grow further.
• Generic competition is already having an impact and will having further impetus after the market-leading drug Advair/Seretide loses patent protection in 2008.
• By the end of the forecast period the leading companies will be competing with novel products.
• Monoclonal antibodies look set to achieve their potential in a market that has significant unmet needs.
• Leading drugs in the principal R&D based company pipelines are assessed.
• This report considers the latest financial and anecdotal information to enable the most appropriate choice of strategy for this market.