European Alzheimer's/ Dementia markets

The European market for Alzheimer's and dementia treatment products was worth $720 million in 1994 and is expected to reach $908.7 million in the year 2001, according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan.

No drugs available now have an Alzheimer's indication, other than tacrine which is available for hospital use in France, it says. Approval for tacrine is likely to be slow because of the attitudes of health authorities, particularly in the Nordic countries, in opposing innovations which do not show significant advantages over existing products; this led to development of another cholinesterase inhibitor, velnacrine, being abandoned in 1994. The authorities aim to reduce expenditure on nootropics and circulation enhancers, since they are notorious for their inefficiency in treating the underlying symptoms of Alzheimer's and dementia, and are known to provide mere palliative treatment, says the study. However, much R&D is underway, with companies including Sandoz, Shire International, Hoechst, Lipha and Janssen Cilag all with new compounds in the pipeline.

The market is currently led by circulation enhancers, accounting for 75% ($540.2 million) 1994 sales overall, followed by nootropics at 13.2% ($94.5 million) and psychotropics at 11.8% ($85 million).