Emerging Therapies to Seize Half of Hemophilia Market Share by 2018, Changing Landscape

Monday 6 January 2014, Amsterdam

The recombinant hemophilia market is set to change drastically over the next four years, with emerging long-acting treatments expected to take over half of the marketplace and significant growth forecast for China.

The company’s latest report states that the hemophilia market expansion in seven major countries – the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK and Japan – will be driven by the uptake of premium-priced, long-acting recombinant treatments, beginning in the US in 2014 and the five European countries (5EU) in 2015.

The US is expected to show the fastest uptake of these therapies, which will capture 50% of the country’s total hemophilia market within the three years following their launch. Meanwhile, growth in the 5EU is anticipated to be slightly slower, with new products gaining a 50% share approximately four years after launch.

According to the new report, the current prophylaxis treatment schedule requires patients to infuse the product twice to three times weekly. Patients and physicians are now eager to adopt long-acting therapies to alleviate this treatment burden; however, the high annual cost of therapy remains a point of concern among physicians in the 5EU.

While premium pricing opportunities exist for long-acting products, analysts suggest that companies hoping to penetrate these markets will not be best served by over-reaching for significant price increases above the established therapies.

Brooke Baker, Ph.D., an Analyst covering Oncology and Hematology, says: “We believe that premium pricing opportunities are greater for recombinant FIX products, which offer a significant improvement in patients’ treatment schedules. Meanwhile, the ability of recombinant FVIII products to command increased prices over Advate or Recombinate will likely be limited due to modest potential reduction in weekly infusions.”

The developing countries of China and Argentina are anticipated to undergo significant hemophilia market growth by 2022, driven by increased rates of diagnosis and greater adoption of recombinant regimens.

However, Baker continues: “Premium pricing opportunities for new products in these countries will still be restricted by the economic barriers that have traditionally prevented recombinant therapies from capturing substantial shares in these markets.”