Elagolix Launch to Revive Declining Endometriosis Treatment Market by 2017

Monday 10 February 2014, Amsterdam

The global endometriosis therapeutics market will experience a slow decline over the coming years, with revenue decreasing from $1.88 billion in 2012 to $1.66 billion by 2017, at a negative Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 0.19%.

According to the company’s latest report*, this decline can be largely attributed to the patent expiry of Lupron (leuprolide acetate) in 2014.

However, the waning market will regain momentum following the expected launch of elagolix in the US and five European countries – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK – in 2016. Elagolix is one of the first-in-class, oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists currently dominating the late-stage pipeline for endometriosis therapeutics. The new report believes that these treatments will rapidly replace the GnRH agonist market segment.

Anita Angelica Moore, the analyst covering Oncology and Women's Health, says: “Key opinion leaders believe that an oral formulation will be a welcome addition to the field, as it will provide doctors with increased control over dosing and allow for the immediate cessation of therapy, if necessary. In comparison with GnRH agonists, such as Lupron and Zoladex, these drugs also lead to fewer hypoestrogenic side effects.”

Based on their improved efficacy and safety profiles, elagolix and other GnRH antagonists are likely to be priced at a premium over GnRH agonists. As pricing is a key influence behind therapy choice in the endometriosis market, analysts say that these new treatments will have little potential to steal shares from low-cost therapies, including combined oral contraceptives, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and progestins.

Despite the expected launch of elagolix, significant unmet needs remain in the endometriosis market, due to the current lack of approved treatment options that boast continuous efficacy and favorable long-term safety profiles.

Moore concludes: “As the methods of treating this condition have proven largely haphazard, women often undergo numerous rounds of surgery and try several medical approaches before finding relief. Even then, they can expect a high rate of recurrence. Ultimately, since none of the drugs on the horizon are curative, opportunity remains for innovative therapies that target the root cause of the condition.”