Injectable Drug Delivery Still Holds Sway
Despite a variety of recent advances in alternative drug delivery
techniques, injectable delivery systems remain one of the most effective and
reliable methods of delivering large molecule and poorly soluble small
molecule drugs in Europe.
It may not match the proportions of the burgeoning market for oral products,
but a new study by Frost & Sullivan pegs the growth rate in the European advanced injectable product market at between 10 and 15 per cent in 2001, making it the fastest growing segment of the total drug delivery market.
The study values the global market at around $3.8 billion, poised to speed past
the $7 billion mark in 2006.
The growing incidence of cancer and other chronic disorders has shifted
attention to the compassionate use of medication and the improvement of
patients' quality-of-life issues. Patients should be made as comfortable as
possible by relieving pain and other distressing symptoms through the
application of gentle and safe treatment methods.
"Despite consistent inroads into alternative delivery routes, patients still
have to deal with the pain and inconvenience of intramuscular injections of
drugs which are not administered in any other form. Traditional injectables
are often associated with poor compliance, short-term efficacy, a higher
degree of adverse side effects and significant costs due to frequent
dosing," reports Stephanie Maclean, Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.
"A glut of drug companies' anti-cancer agents and biotechnology drugs can
only be given through the needle-based channel. Market participants have
seized the opportunity to use advanced delivery techniques in order to
augment these drugs' patient-friendliness. Moreover, pegylated technology is
a particularly effective method of providing proteins. This delivery
technique is being applied to a number of compounds, particularly in the
area of oncology," Ms Maclean continues.
There are at least 400 genetically engineered drugs in development, which
can only be delivered via injection at present. In an effort to improve the
delivery of their existing products or new chemical entities, Frost &
Sullivan believes that a rising number of biotechnology and pharmaceutical
companies will embark on collaborative projects with drug delivery
companies.
Several impending patent expiries will prompt the big pharma and biotech
companies to forge strategic alliance with drug delivery companies to clinch
a bigger slice of the overall injectable drug delivery market.
Profitability in the injectable drug delivery industry is being vigorously
sustained by limited competition from alternative delivery routes.
"Physicians are familiar with using injectables and are likely to be
sceptical of the efficacy of certain drugs if given orally or by inhalation.
Oral and inhaleable delivery of proteins, such as insulin, have encountered
a number of set-backs, including concerns over safety. It is unlikely that
oral insulin will appear on the European marketplace during this decade,"
the study cautions.
There are approximately 14 drug delivery companies operating in this market.
The majority of these companies are involved in sustained release injectable
delivery and tend to offer multiple technology platforms, such as Atrix
Laboratories and Alkermes. However, a new wave of drug delivery companies are focused on sustained injectable delivery of proteins and poorly soluble drugs, such as MacroMed.
The Report, Code: B068 is priced at Euro 5,000
http://www.pharma.frost.com
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