China's rheumatoid arthritis drug market to more than double by 2013

The rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drug market in China will more than double by 2013, growing from US$138m (Euro 99m) in 2008 to US$385m (€275m) in 2013, according to US research firm Decision Resources. This growth will be fuelled by an expanding drug-treated population, increasing patient access to healthcare insurance, greater patient spending power and increased use of biological agents in RA treatment.

"A principal driver of growth in the Chinese RA market is the expanding patient population, where the number of patients eligible for drug therapy will increase 52% by 2013. During the same 2008-2013 time period, the drug-treated population will grow approximately 80%," said researcher Jing Wu.

The new Emerging Markets report, Rheumatoid Arthritis in China, also finds that Western branded drug sales will command 54% of the market by 2013. The key drivers of this growth will be the increased uptake of currently available Western branded biologics and the launch of new ones. The best opportunities for Western drug companies are in the launch and marketing of new biological agents that are easily administered and have novel mechanisms of action that achieve quicker results.

"We expect less competition from Chinese generic versions of new Western branded biologics than for small-molecule drugs for two reasons: biologics are harder to imitate than small chemical molecules and it is difficult to convince physicians that biosimilars have the same activity as the original brands," added Wu.

The report contains primary research of physicians and epidemiology study in key pharmaceutical markets of China - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou - and in the high-growth second-tier markets of Tianjin, Wuhan, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Jinan.