Ulcerative Colitis

Pharmacor -- September 2006

  Introduction:

The treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) represents entrenched medical practice and prescribing patterns. Agents currently used to treat UC fall into one of four drug classes, many of which have lost patent protection and/or are used off-label; thus, this market is static and, as such, presents major obstacles for emerging therapies. A greater number of targeted agents will launch during the ten-year forecast period, and although these drugs are suitable for only a small patient segment, their high prices are the main source of growth in the UC market. In this report, we discuss the factors driving the UC market and how drug developers may tap into the opportunities hidden in this therapeutic area.

  Questions Answered in This Report:

Although UC afflicts a small proportion of the general population, the cost of therapy per patient is substantial. How can drug manufacturers extract the optimal commercial opportunity from this market?

Medical practice and prescribing patterns for UC are well-established. What can pharmaceutical companies do to appeal to prospective physicians and patients in a rooted market?

Capturing market share from existing UC current therapies will be challenging. What are the barriers preventing emerging therapies from establishing significant market presence?

  Scope:

Markets: United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Japan.

Primary research: 46 country-specific interviews with thought leaders.

Epidemiology: prevalence of UC (mild, moderate, and severe), diagnosis rate, drug-treated rate.

Population segments in market forecast: acute and maintenance therapy.

Emerging therapies: Phase II: 5 drugs; Phase III: 5 drugs; preregistration: 1 drug. Coverage of 1 select preclinical product.