Asthma market will grow through r&d

The wealth of research into the pathophysiology of asthma has led to the identification of novel, more highly refined drug targets that may allow researchers to develop drugs with more-specific mechanisms of action that could even prevent disease, says a new study by US company Decision Resources.

According to the study, the most significant impact on the asthma market will come from omalizumab (Genentech/Roche and Tanox Biosystems/Novartis's Xolair), the first in a new class of monoclonal antibodies targeting immunoglobulin E (IgE).

Clinical trials have demonstrated that Xolair reduces the number of asthma exacerbations by 50%, improves quality-of-life scores and symptoms, and reduces the need for corticosteroids.

Many biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are developing anti-interleukin agents, which are thought to offer two potential mechanisms of action for treating the underlying inflammation associated with asthma-inhibiting antibody production and restricting eosinophil migration into the lung, Decision Resources points out.

Inhaled corticosteroids dominate the asthma market. In the future, however, long-acting beta2 agonist/corticosteroid combination agents, such as GlaxoSmithKline's Advair/Seretide and AstraZeneca's Symbicort, will wrest away market share from the single-agent inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta2 agonists, the report predicts. Both combination agents offer more- convenient treatment regimens, which may improve patient compliance.

'Some experts suggest that Schering-Plough's mometasone furoate is the most promising new corticosteroid in development, citing its once-daily inhaled administration and superior safety profile,' says Decision Resources. 'We believe that mometasone furoate is well positioned to win acceptance as a therapy for newly diagnosed patients and patients in whom current therapies are not effective; to some extent, it may also replace older corticosteroid therapies.'