Modern lifestyles and an ageing population are continuing to increase the prevalence of GI conditions and there is now a very wide range of products to treat GI disorders, especially protein pump inhibitors (PPIs) and H2 antagonists for acid-related conditions.
As a result, the world GI market is becoming crowded, and is expected to be extremely competitive over the next five years, and product differentiation, high revenue generation and high growth rates will become increasingly difficult for companies to achieve, according to a new report by Market research company Visiongain.
In this large and prominent market, an agent that displays increased efficacy over existing products, especially PPIs, can achieve significant commercial success, according to the report, titled "Gastrointestinal Disorders Market 2006-2011."
This is because although the current antacids, such as PPIs and H2 antagonists, have a strong clinical reputation for efficacy and safety, there is still a need for these drugs to control the nocturnal secretion of acid more effectively.
In a recent survey, almost half of prescription PPI users reported that their upper GI symptoms caused them to wake up at night.
Therefore, extended release formulations that attempt to address this need will present a strong growth opportunity for the pharmaceutical industry.
Similarly, almost half of the patients surveyed reported experiencing acid breakthrough symptoms roughly twice a week (defined as heartburn, acid indigestion or other acid related problems concomitant with therapy).
The use of PPIs with H2 antagonists as a combination therapy designed to alleviate these problems may also provide an untapped commercial potential in this area.
Visiongain also predicts that of the new drugs coming through the pipeline, the most successful will be those that target unmet needs in the market, particularly in the areas of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
For IBS, there is currently a great need for improvements in the efficacy and safety of treatments. Some authorities believe that 5HT3 and 5HT4 receptor antagonists may provide improvements in these areas.
In Crohn's disease, anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies have shown therapeutic efficacy, however, the duration of remission remains a current problem.
Integrin inhibitors have shown promise in this area of Crohn's disease, and may also provide better safety, efficacy and duration of remission in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.
While products that fill current treatment gaps hold the most promise for the future GI market, Visiongain also believes that the most successful of these developmental products will be those whose manufacturers can achieve the best use of distribution channels.
In particular, smaller companies will have to make a special effort to convince distributors and suppliers of pharmaceuticals to receive the new products, a particular challenge in the crowded antacid market.