Best chance for ITP market is curative, not palliative

Published: 22-Mar-2017

Immune thrombocytopenia market will see minimal growth to $985m by 2025, says GlobalData

The immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) market across the seven major countries of the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan, is set to grow from $928m in 2015 to $985m by 2025.

This represents a very modest overall compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData.

The company’s latest report states that the ITP space will see reasonable growth at the beginning of the forecast period, reaching $1.16bn by 2023.

This growth can be attributed to increasing uptake of Amgen’s Nplate (romiplostim) and Novartis’ Promacta/Revolade (eltrombopag), a rising diagnosed prevalence of adult ITP, and the launch of Rigel Pharmaceuticals’ fostamatinib, which will offer a new mechanism of action (MOA) for ITP treatment.

From 2023, however, market value will start declining due to the patent expiration and subsequent generic/biosimilar launch of Nplate, Promacta, and Roche’s Rituxan/MabThera (rituximab).

Current treatment options are either palliative or have a suboptimal response rate.

The declining treatment rate of paediatric ITP patients and the stagnant treatment paradigm caused by a lack of late-stage pipeline activities are also the major barriers of market growth.

Fenix Leung, DPhil, Healthcare Analyst for GlobalData, explains: “Companies are looking into drugs with novel MOAs, which may help to improve response rate and safety.”

“Despite the harsh market environment, GlobalData sees ample opportunity for pharmaceutical companies to develop a drug for the 10% of ITP patients who are multiple refractory and do not respond to available therapies.”

Even though the eligible patient population is small, the unmet need for these patients is high, and a drug that works in multiple refractory patients is likely to command a premium price.

“Ultimately, the ITP market is looking for curative therapies that offer long-term remission for patients, as current treatment options are either palliative or have a suboptimal response rate.”

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