Promising late-stage GI drugs could stabilize global market decline; report

The gastrointestinal (GI) therapeutics market for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) in the eight major markets (8MM) - the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada and Japan - is expected to decrease in value from $6.8 billion in 2012 to $6.6 billion by 2019, at a negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.3%, forecasts business intelligence provider GBI Research.

According to the firm’s latest report, the GI market will register different CAGRs across the 8MM during the forecast period. The USA and Japan will witness positive CAGRs of 0.2% and 4%, respectively, while the European markets will decline at a negative CAGR of 2.5%. This unfavorable growth is due to the upcoming patent expiry of various major drugs.

GBI Research analyst Arti Singh says: “As Humira [adalimumab from AbbVie] and Remicade [infliximab, from Merck & Co and Johnson & Johnson] account for a substantial share of the GI therapeutics industry, their patent expiries will harm the overall market value. The entry of generics and biosimilars will also have a strong impact on sales.”