Changes predicted in renal cell carcinoma market leaders

Following its launch and uptake, GlaxoSmithKline's angiogenesis inhibitor Votrient (pazopanib; formerly Armala) will garner sales of $640 million by 2018 and will take significant market share away from Pfizer's Sutent (sunitinib), according to a new report from research and advisory firm Decision Resources. In 2008, Sutent had accounted for 61% of sales in the angiogenesis inhibitor drug class.

The new Pharmacor report entitled Renal Cell Carcinoma finds that Votrient will overtake Sutent as the renal cell carcinoma market leader by 2018 in the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan. For the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, Votrient is expected to launch in the USA in 2010, in Europe in 2011 and in Japan in 2012. According to the report, the angiogenesis inhibitor drug class will continue to dominate this market over the next decade, capturing 87 percent of total sales in 2018.

The report also finds that Novartis' Afinitor (everolimus) and Pfizer's axitinib will surpass Bayer Healthcare/Onyx's Nexavar (sorafenib) and Wyeth's Torisel (temsirolimus) by 2018 in the second- and third-line treatment settings. In 2008, Nexavar was the leading therapy in the second-line setting and Torisel was the leading therapy in the third-line setting for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma.

"Thought leaders we interviewed indicate that they are optimistic about several emerging therapies, most notably axitinib and Votrient," said Decision Resources analyst Karen Pomeranz. "One expert called axitinib 'the most exciting' emerging agent in renal cell carcinoma in recent years and another thought leader said that Votrient's clinical efficacy is comparable to that of Sutent and that Votrient has a more favorable side-effect profile than Sutent," she added.