Between 2010 and 2020 the overall market for chronic pain therapies will remain stable at approximately $20 billion, with treatments for back pain and arthritis predicted to be the most lucrative, according to findings from healthcare research firm Decision Resources.
In its report “Chronic Pain,” Decision Resources notes the chronic back pain and arthritis pain segments comprised nearly 57 percent of the overall chronic pain drug market in 2010, driven by increasing prevalence as populations age in the world’s major pharmaceutical markets.
According to the report, emerging therapies will make up 18 percent of sales in the total chronic pain market in 2020. However, these products will not be able to completely recoup sales lost from the generic erosion of key branded products, particularly controlled-release oxycodone (Purdue Pharma/Mundipharma/Napp Pharmaceuticals’ OxyContin), Eli Lilly/Boehringer Ingelheim’s Cymbalta/Xeristar, Pfizer’s Lyrica and Celebrex, and the transdermal lidocaine patch (Endo Pharmaceuticals’ Lidoderm, Grünenthal’s Versatis), which will all lose market exclusivity by 2020.
“Traditionally, chronic back pain and osteoarthritis pain have been the largest segments of the chronic pain market due to the highly prevalent patient populations,” said Decision Resources analyst Natalie Taylor, PhD. “In 2010, there were 76 million cases of osteoarthritis pain in the major pharmaceutical markets (the U.S., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, England and Japan) and 69 million cases of chronic low back pain. These market segments are expected to remain predominant in the chronic pain market, especially as the baby boomer population ages.”
Another market driver in the chronic back pain and osteoarthritis pain segments, added Taylor, "will be the increasing market penetration of key branded therapies including controlled-release tapentadol and the transdermal buprenorphine patch, products which will be used to treat moderate to severe chronic back pain and osteoarthritis pain.”