Monoclonal antibody sales set to rocket
pharmafile | May 12, 2005 | News story | Sales and Marketing |
The monoclonal antibody market will treble in size to $30 billion by 2010, according to a report by analysts Datamonitor.
Datamonitor has based its forecast on significant developments to antibody technology and the commercial incentives the drugs present.
Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are specially engineered versions of antibodies capable of tracking down specific cells, such as cancer cells, and destroying them without many of the debilitating, toxic side-effects of chemotherapy and radiations.
The therapies are increasingly proving themselves to be safer and more effective than existing treatments in cancer and immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Key drugs within the field include cancer treatments like Roche and Genentech's Avastin (bevacizumab) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's Erbitux (cetuximab) as well as Johnson & Johnson's rheumatoid arthritis treatment Remicade (infliximab).
Recent deals including Roche's alliance with Antisoma and AstraZeneca's agreement with Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) have highlighted the growing importance of antibody developers to the industry.
Datamonitor healthcare analyst David Evans said: "Big pharma is finally moving upstream and getting involved in early-stage product development. This kind of investment by industry leaders will add the financial muscle and experience needed to fully exploit the exciting potential of antibodies.
"Antibody companies now have the choice either to go it alone and take on the higher risks and potential rewards of drug development, or to take a more measured, risk-averse approach and rely on a pharmaceutical partner experience and financial backing to grow their company more gradually."
The report says that safer and more effective humanized and human antibodies are pouring onto the market, lifting public perceptions of a therapeutic area which was previously undermined by concerns over the safety of treatments.
The mAb market witnessed unprecedented growth in 2004, with global sales increasing by 48% to top $10 billion.
