Novel Agents Will Drive The Hepatitis C Virus Drug Market to Increase Nearly Five-Fold...

Novel Agents Will Drive The Hepatitis C Virus Drug Market to Increase Nearly
Five-Fold to More than $10 Billion in 2017
Hepatitis C Virus Market is One of the Most Active Areas of Infectious Disease
Drug Development in Recent Years, According to a New Report from Decision
Resources

WALTHAM, Mass., June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the
world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare
issues, finds that market to treat hepatitis C virus will grow by nearly
five-fold during the next decade, increasing from approximately $2 billion in
2007 to more than $10 billion in 2017 in the United States, France, Germany,
Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Japan. The new Pharmacor report entitled
Hepatitis C Virus finds that, as drug makers have recognized the high unmet
need and significant commercial potential that exists, the hepatitis C virus
market has been one of the most active areas of infectious disease drug
development in recent years.
According to the report, market growth over the next decade will be driven
by the introduction of novel agents in the protease inhibitors and polymerase
inhibitors drug classes that specifically target the hepatitis C virus. Among
the range of products in clinical development, the most promising agents in
these classes include Vertex/Johnson & Johnson/Mitsubishi Tanabe's telaprevir,
Schering-Plough's boceprevir, Roche's R-1626, Roche/Pharmasset's R-7128,
Roche/InterMune's ITMN-191, Tibotec's (Johnson & Johnson) TMC-435350, and
Pfizer's PF-868554. Currently available clinical data suggests that all of
these orally administered agents have the potential to significantly improve
the efficacy of treatment, achieving higher sustained virologic response than
current treatment, particularly in difficult-to-treat genotype 1 patients.
The hepatitis C virus market has been dominated by Roche and
Schering-Plough, and both companies market pegylated interferon-alpha and
ribavirin agents. These two companies have competed intensely in this market
and have attempted to differentiate their pegylated interferon products, with
Roche gaining an edge in market share. Through internal development and
collaboration, Roche and Schering-Plough have developed next generation
products that will allow them to remain key players in the hepatitis C virus
market through 2017.
"Hepatitis C virus, which represents a large and relatively under-tapped
market, has a complex epidemiology and is characterized by a large and aging
chronically infected patient population which, over the next decade, is
projected to increasingly present with late-stage complications of the
infection, such as cirrhosis," said John Lebbos, M.D., director at Decision
Resources. "Since current treatment with pegylated interferon-alpha agents and
ribavirin achieves cure in less than half of patients and is associated with
significant side effects, substantial opportunity exists for drug developers
that can deliver safer and more effective therapies."
About Decision Resources
Decision Resources (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market
research publications, advisory services, and consulting designed to help
clients shape strategy, allocate resources, and master their chosen markets.
All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
For more information, contact:
Elizabeth Marshall
Decision Resources, Inc.
781-296-2563
emarshall@dresources.com

SOURCE Decision Resources

Elizabeth Marshall, Decision Resources, Inc., +1-781-296-2563,
emarshall@dresources.com