Market for addiction treatments set to rise to $3.8 billion, forecasts new report

The world market for medicines that treat addiction disorders is currently valued at US$3.2bn is set to increase by 19% by 2016 to $3.8bn, forecasts a new market report from URCH Publishing.

The market strategy report, The World Market for Addiction Disorders, 2009 -  2016: Future Therapies for Substance Dependence and Impulse Control, says that the market is set to grow rapidly as the 90 plus drug candidates in clinical trials for addictions receive market approval. Leading the pack is global drug behemoth Pfizer's recently launched Chantix/Champix (varenicline), which is which is on track for blockbuster status in the smoking cessation sector. The report finds that there has been around a 165% increase in products in clinical R&D since 2005.

"The drug pipeline for the addiction disorders of alcohol, cocaine, opioid, methamphetamine, phencyclidine, cannabis, and tobacco dependence is now rich with a range of novel neuroreceptor/neuropeptide modulators and antibody therapies to combat the disorders", said Tim Atkinson, the report's author.

With estimates of more than 280 million people in key market territories of North America, Europe and Japan to be at risk of addiction or dependency on alcohol, tobacco, illicit narcotics gambling or prescription drugs for non-medical use, the opportunity for healthcare companies to provide treatments is vast.

The 80 page report provides an in-depth analysis of the global addiction pharmacotherapeutic market. Included in this study are analyses of key therapy areas, R&D programs, and innovating companies and products. It is available from URCH Publishing at http://www.urchpublishing.com/publications/therapeutic/world_market_addiction_disorders_2009-2016.html