A new report by visiongain, a London-based business information provider, predicts that the market for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) drugs will reach $5084m by 2014. This will make retinal diseases the most lucrative sector of the ophthalmic drugs market, overtaking the glaucoma sector.
The AMD and DR market generated $3173m in 2010, according to Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR): World Drug Market 2011-2021, published in July 2011.
AMD and DR are retinal disorders that can lead to blindness. Between them, they have been the cause for over 13% of all blindness cases in the world, according to a most recent WHO assessment. Both AMD and DR will become more widespread in the coming decades, as the world's population ages and the global diabetes epidemic continues.
Genentech's development of Lucentis (ranibizumab) made the 'wet' form of AMD effectively treatable for the first time. The success of Lucentis spurred investment in R&D for retinal diseases. In 2011, new products for wet AMD, as well as treatments for the 'dry' form of AMD, and for DR and diabetic macular oedema, are all nearing approval.
August will see the approval of Eylea (aflibercept), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals' new AMD treatment. This will be the most important new product in the AMD and DR sector since the launch of Lucentis.
Visiongain's research suggests that scientific study of retinal diseases will yield more important insights in the next ten years. While Lucentis and Eylea target vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), products with new targets will gain importance as monotherapies and in combination with VEGF inhibitors.
Visiongain predicts that the AMD and DR market will grow steadily to 2021, with treatments for dry AMD and DR answering the serious unmet needs in the sector.
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