'AMD and DR drug market will reach $6.25 billion in 2015' predicts new Visiongain report

Dec. 5, 2012 - PRLog -- Regeneron’s 2011 launch of Eylea (aflibercept) has stimulated the market (http://www.visiongain.com/Sector/8/Pharma), proving to be one of the most successful biopharmaceutical launches so far. Eylea is in a three-way battle with Lucentis (ranibizumab; Roche/Novartis) and Avastin (bevacizumab; Roche) for the wet AMD market. Also, the R&D pipeline is strong.

Visiongain’s study identifies key pipeline candidates including new anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs such as Allergan’s DARPin, with an extended duration of action, and new eye drop formulations such as Alcon’s ESBA1008 and Ohr’s Squalamine. Beyond anti-VEGF drugs, the wet AMD pipeline is headed by Ophthotech Corporation’s Fovista, a PDGF-B blocker which achieved high efficacy results in phase II as part of a combination therapy. However, the dry AMD and DR segments have even greater market growth possibilities, the report notes.

James Evans, pharmaceutical industry analyst in visiongain, said: “The DR market has been galvanised by the approval of Lucentis and Alimera’s Iluvien in 2012, and there’s plenty of room for growth in that segment. A 2011 study suggested that over 100 million people worldwide have DR, and over 21 million of them have diabetic macular oedema (DME), so that’s a huge patient population.

“The real unmet need, though, is dry AMD, where there are still no drug treatment options. MacuCLEAR have reached phase III trials, and Alcon completed a phase III trial of Tandospirone in 2012. Beyond that, there’s a massive range of approaches being tried, including blocking the complement cascade and modulating the visual cycle, on to things like neuroprotectants and regenerative medicine. Advanced Cell Technology’s trial in dry AMD is now the leading embryonic stem cell candidate therapy in the clinic.

“In wet AMD, Eylea has made a massive impact, and looks likely to take nearly a third of the whole AMD and DR market by 2015. It isn’t incredibly different to Lucentis, but has even greater VEGF-binding affinity and is a significant salvage option. A lot will come down to whether Bayer can get Eylea to mount the same challenge to Lucentis outside the US, with EU and Japan approvals coming in September 2012, and how fast Eylea can add new indications. Lucentis will be the first into most of the retinal submarkets, like central retinal vein occlusion. But the evidence so far is Eylea is a very competitive alternative, once it catches up.”

The study forecasts that the AMD and DR market will continue to expand rapidly to 2023, with wet AMD treatment moving beyond anti-VEGF monotherapy, and treatment options emerging for the first time in dry AMD and DR.

Visiongain’s report shows revenue forecasts to 2023 at overall world market, therapeutic submarket, product and national level. It forecasts these world-level submarkets:

• Wet AMD
• Dry AMD
• DR.

The investigation predicts revenues of leading drugs in the retinal disorders market: Lucentis, Eylea and Avastin. Research, data and analyses cover activities of Roche, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Allergan and other pharmaceutical companies.

That study discusses R&D and commercial news, shows research interviews and predicts revenues to 2023 in leading national markets. The work analyses the US, Japan, Germany, France, UK, Spain, Italy and the BRIC group.

Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR): World Drug Market 2013-2023 adds to visiongain’s range of analytical reports on industries and markets in healthcare.

For sample pages and further information concerning the visiongain report Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR): World Drug Market 2013-2023 please visit http://www.visiongain.com/Report/924/Macular-Degeneration-%28AMD%29-and-Diabetic-Retinopathy-%28DR%29-World-Drug-Market-2013-2023

For an executive summary please contact:
Email: Sara Peerun on sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7336 6100

Notes for Editors
If you are interested in a more detailed overview of this report, please send an e-mail to sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com or call her on +44 (0) 207 336 6100

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