Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs market in Europe will continue to grow strongly, according to market research report
Pain is regarded as an individualised perception, and the person actually experiencing the sensation of discomfort is the only authority on assessing the severity of it.
Prolonged pain can rewire the entire nervous system, subjecting the patient to a potentially lifelong, chronic condition.
A symptom of the underlying disease or injury, around 230 million people are believed to be suffering from pain in Europe.
Frost and Sullivan's latest analysis of the European pain management market pegs sales of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and anti-migraine drugs at a total of $2.7 billion in 2001.
According to the international marketing consulting company's latest study, new product launches, heightened product awareness, and patient base education through authority initiatives, along with improved delivery techniques and expanding indications of existing products, will continue to bolster growth in the overall European pain management market. The combined impact of these factors is predicted to help revenues soar past the $5.3 billion mark in 2008 and will offset the adverse effects of physicians' reservations about treating pain and the intensifying competition from the generic pharmaceuticals camp, driven by patent expiries.
The study reveals opportunities galore in the pain management market, mainly created by the prescribers' quest for drugs that are more closely geared to patients' requirements.
As access to treatment and attitudes towards pain management are constantly improving, a drug with reduced side-effects and strong efficacy, in particular, would be in pole position to achieve the coveted blockbuster status.
Frost and Sullivan points to the flurry of activity surrounding the NSAID sector, coupled with its sheer magnitude, as the key factors responsible for the buoyancy of the overall pain management market.
NSAID is set for an even bigger role on the European pain management stage, by far outstripping revenues amassed in the other sectors under analysis in Frost and Sullivan's study.
New product launches in the NSAID market are predicted to freshen the image of the COX-2 inhibitors, the market's star performers.
Previously a fairly stagnant market, bogged down by increasingly fierce competitive forces, the COX-2 inhibiting drugs (Vioxx and Celebrex) have provided NSAIDs with fresh impetus for growth.
Christian Downton, research analyst at Frost and Sullivan, comments: "On a global scale, the COX-2 inhibitors are hailed as the most successful drug launches ever.
Their fortunes in Europe, however, will depend on how the health authorities view their cost-effectiveness and if they can reassure physicians about their efficacy and safety." "Numerous countries initially refused reimbursement and a high proportion of medical practitioners were left unconvinced about the drugs' benefits and cost-effectiveness," he continues.
"Nevertheless, they now dominate the European market and this type of drug is forecast to underpin the success of the NSAID market for the foreseeable future.
At least four key new product launches have been earmarked for roll-out before 2005." Meanwhile, the opioid market is steadily gaining in prominence.
Impressive uptake of advanced delivery formulations has galvanised sales in this sector.
The availability of premium-priced innovative products, comprehensive promotion of existing products and an enhanced ethos of narcotic analgesics, will spell a bright future for the opioid market, poised to reach $1.3 billion in 2008.
The anti-migraine market has been drawing strength from the rising popularity of the triptans, especially in countries lagging behind in terms of migraine awareness.
The deficit in understanding of the condition is being counteracted by more aggressive pharmaceutical companies' GP education programmes and sales relationships.
The study highlights that the anti-migraine market will face upheaval following the patent expiry of GlaxoSmithKline's acute migraine treatment Imigran (in the sumatriptan group) in 2005.
The comparatively conservative growth forecast for this market - Frost and Sullivan identifies a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2 per cent between 2001 and 2008 - has been based on the expected entry of several cheap products, including generic sumatriptan.
The number of companies active in the pain management market currently stands at over 400 players.
Many of these market participants count amongst the influential generic sector, however, this fragmented part of the market has been declining in importance. The top three competitors - Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD), Pharmacia and Janssen-Cilag - represent a market concentration of 39%.
Mr Downton believes that this value is likely to increase in the future as blockbusting drugs become more crucial to the pain management market and the pharmaceutical industry as a whole. "Companies best positioned to claim a larger share of the overall market place particular emphasis on safety and efficacy. Other key competitive differentiators include the cost of the product, especially if it is to be reimbursed or favoured by prescribers.
The key end-user for this market is the GP, who is sometimes responsible for initiating treatment, but in many cases responsible for following-up the treatment programme provided by a specialist," he adds.
Over the forecast period, restricting recommendations on the prescription of the new NSAID drugs, satisfaction with older opioid products and a mature anti-migraine market are project to relegate the UK, from its current position of undisputed market leadership to the second slot by in 2008.
Reflecting the nation's high spending on pharmaceuticals, France presently accounts for the second largest pain management market, followed by Germany.
Despite its massive population, growth in the pain management market is being curtailed by the country's large generics market and aut idem regulation, the study's review of national markets concludes.
