Eight novel disease-modifying therapies will drive modest growth in the multiple sclerosis drug market through 2019

The launch of several high-priced novel disease-modifying therapies - including the first oral agents approved for the indication - will fuel modest 3% annual growth in the multiple sclerosis (MS) drug market through 2019, coupled with increasing use of current and emerging monoclonal antibodies, according to a new report from Decision Resources.

Novartis' Gilenia and Merck KGaA's cladribine will have most market impact

The Pharmacor 2010 findings, from the topic entitled Multiple Sclerosis, reveal that Novartis/Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma's FTY-720 (Gilenia) and Merck Serono/Merck KGaA's oral cladribine, the first-to-market oral drugs approved for MS, will have the most significant market impact. Despite safety concerns with both drugs, combined sales of FTY-720 and oral cladribine will reach more than $2 billion in 2019 in the leading markets of the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan. Biogen Idec's pegylated interferon-beta-1a (IFN-beta-1a, BIIB-017) and Genzyme/Bayer HealthCare's alemtuzumab will also contribute to overall market growth.