The non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) market is anticipated to increase from $6.21bn in 2015 to $26.71bn by 2025, according to a report by GlobalData.
Titled ‘PharmaPoint: Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) – Global Drug Forecast and Market Analysis to 2025’, the report provides details of the NSCLC market across the eight major markets (8MM) of the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan and China.
The NSCLC market is expected to witness a strong compound annual growth rate of 15.7% due to the inclusion of premium-priced immune checkpoint inhibitors, launch of new targeted therapies, and increase in the incidence of the disease.
In 2015, the NSCLC treatment space was dominated by generic chemotherapy and targeted therapies, which accounted for approximately 94% of the market, while immuno-oncology therapies accounted for the remaining.
The trend is expected to be reversed by 2025, with immuno-oncology therapies accounting for 65% of the NSCLC market and the remaining 35% accounted by chemotherapy and targeted agents, according to GlobalData's oncology analyst Cai Xuan, PhD.
Another major trend emerging in the NSCLC market is the pairing of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) checkpoint inhibitors with other agents. The existing PD-1 space is overcrowded with drugs using identical mechanisms of action.
Drug developers are therefore focusing on ways to improve efficacy to achieve differentiation from competitor products.
Companies such as Merck Roche, and Bristol-Myers Squibb are carrying out research on their PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors in combination with chemotherapies, targeted agents and other immuno-oncology products.
In the targeted therapy space, companies are focusing on developing novel therapies to address high unmet need of unactionable mutations in specific patient populations. Kirsten rat sarcoma virus (KRAS)-mutant NSCLC, for example, accounts for a 25% to 30% share of the total NSCLC patient pool.
No targeted therapies, however, are currently available to treat the condition. Eli Lilly is developing its abemaciclib, which targets KRAS patients, but the agent’s lack of efficacy is expected to severely limit its uptake.
Companies are also focusing on the development of second and third-generation targeted therapies, aside from novel therapies. The new therapies are expected to provide better options for patients and take away significant market share from their predecessors, adds Cai Xuan.
