The global market for gastrointestinal therapeutics is set to reach $48.4bn over the next five years, fueled by an influx of biologic treatments.
That’s according to GBI Research, which predicts an annual growth rate of 4.45% for the therapy area and expects Takeda to take over as market leader from AbbVie by 2022.
This is in part due to the rise of new biologics in the area’s pipeline as previously dominant products, such as AbbVie’s Humira (adalimumab) and Johnson & Johnson’s Remicade (infliximab), begin to lose their patent protection.
The gastrointestinal market is currently valued at $35.7bn and has the seventh-largest pipeline in the industry, with 937 products in early- and late-stage development, of which 329 are biologics.
Jennifer Goossens, associate analyst for GBI Research, said: “Due to the high costs and adverse effects, biologic treatments are primarily used in patients with refractory inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but this may change once newer products with a more favourable safety profile enter the market.
“Biologics have revolutionised IBD treatment, and their success in the treatment of these indications has driven enthusiasm for the use of biologics in other immune-related gastrointestinal conditions, such as celiac disease, eosinophilic esophagitis and autoimmune hepatitis.”
Of the biologics in the area pipeline, 87 are being developed for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, including Janssen’s monoclonal antibody Stelara (ustekinumab).
Also contributing to the predicted market growth are recent product approvals such as Takeda’s Takecab (vonoprazan) for gastroesophageal reflux disease, and Entvio (vedolizumab) for IBD.
Both have been forecast by the GBI Research analysts to become blockbuster drugs by 2022, along with Intercept’s Ocaliva (obeticholic acid), which received FDA approval for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis in May this year.