Global $706 million polycystic ovarian syndrome drugs market forecasts to show low growth until 2016

The global polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) drug market was valued at $706 million in 2009 and is forecast to shrink by 0.8% annually for the next seven years, according to a new report for GlobalData. The growth rate from 2001-09 was 6.8%.

The patent of letrozole (Novartis' breast cancer drug Femara), which is used in the treatment of PCOS, will expire in the year 2011. As a result, the market will shrink by 30.1% and will come down to $562 million in 2012. The market will start growing from 2013 due to the increase in disease prevalence and prescription rates and will rise to $702 million in 2016. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2009-16 will be -0.8%, the report notes.

This slow growth rate is primarily due to the presence of a large number of generic drugs in the market and the absence of effective pipeline molecules. However, the treatment seeking and diagnosis rates will also boost the PCOS market to some extent. Hence, the overall PCOS market will have very slow growth in the upcoming years.