6% annual growth forecast for NSCLC market in major Latin America countries

From 2013 to 2018, the non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) market in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico will increase at an annual rate of 6%, reaching $495 million in 2018, according to a new report from health care advisory firm Decision Resources.

The Emerging Markets report, titled Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, also finds that changes in medical practice and reimbursement and the resulting continued uptake of targeted therapies will drive growth in this market. The market will also be sustained by a growing incident population and by the launch of 11 new branded therapies, despite limitations imposed on drug cancer coverage within the public sector.

11 new therapies to launch between now and 2018

Between 2013 and 2018, the report notes, 11 novel branded NSCLC therapies will launch in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. These are Pfizer’s crizotinib (which launched in Argentina and Mexico in March 2013 under brand name Xalkori), Celgene’s nanoparticle paclitaxel, Boehringer Ingelheim’s afatinib, Pfizer’s dacomitinib, Novartis’ ceritinib, Boehringer Ingelheim’s nintedanib, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s nivolumab, Roche’s onartuzumab, Pfizer’s dacomitinib, Eli Lilly’s necitumumab, Eisai’s eribulin and Merck & Co’s MK-3475.

Although the number of patients treated with these agents will be smaller compared to the world’s major markets, the combined sales will comprise 16% of the total NSCLC market in 2018, owing to their high price.

Incidence of NSCLC set to rise 25% by 2023

The report, which includes primary research with Argentine, Brazilian and Mexican oncologists, also finds that the number of incident cases of NSCLC across the three geographies will increase by 25% between 2013 and 2023, because of an expanding and aging population and the strong association between risk and age.

“Out of the three countries, Brazil is the largest and most populated, with the highest incident population of NSCLC; it boasts the highest total sales of NSCLC therapies. But Argentina, with its wealthy population and good access to targeted therapies, was the undisputed leader of brand sales across the three markets, claiming over a half of all the brand sales in 2013,” said Decision Resources analyst Natalia Reoutova.