 Pharmacor --
May 2005
 You Need to Know
How do physicians view the
selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors in light of concerns regarding
the safety of these agents? Will new antidepressants' ability to treat
both pain and comorbid depression drive significant sales growth in this drug
class? Can emerging narcotic analgesics with a potentially lower risk of
dependence and tolerance reduce the stigma traditionally associated with opioid
use?
Introduction
Chronic low back pain (CLBP)
affects an estimated 30 million people in the seven major markets we cover
(United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, and Japan).
Inexpensive, generic agents (i.e., nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
[NSAIDs]) have long been the mainstay of CLBP treatment; indeed, in light of
mounting concerns regarding the safety of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)
inhibitors, NSAIDs are being prescribed even more frequently for CLBP. Because
emerging therapies are unlikely to replace NSAIDs as first-line therapy during
our 2004-2014 forecast period, market growth will instead be driven by
increasing use of antidepressants as second- and third-line therapies.
Antidepressants will benefit from their potential to simultaneously treat pain
and comorbid depression; in particular, drugs specifically approved for
pain--such as Eli Lilly's duloxetine (Cymbalta/Xeristar)
and DOV Pharmaceutical's bicifadine--will attain considerable
commercial success in the CLBP market.
Key Findings
 In 2004, the number of prevalent cases of CLBP exceeded 30
million in the seven major markets under study. The prevalent population will
grow modestly over our ten-year forecast period because of overall population
growth. Sales--which totaled nearly $2.4 billion in 2004--will climb
steadily because of the increased use of antidepressants as second- and
third-line therapies.
The greatest unmet need in the CLBP market is for therapies with
a lower incidence of GI side effects, sedation, and tolerance/dependence.
According to interviewed physicians, tolerability issues interfere with
effective pain control for many patients.
Although NSAIDs will remain first-line therapy throughout our
forecast period, emerging antidepressants--thanks to their potential to
simultaneously treat pain and comorbid depression--will dominate the CLBP
market by 2014.
Why Buy This Report?
Explore the shifting dynamics of the CLBP market as
antidepressants capitalize on their potential to simultaneously treat pain and
comorbid depression.
Discover how selective COX-2 inhibitors will fare following
recent rulings from regulatory bodies.
Take advantage of Decision Resources' epidemiology
estimates, which include prevalence data for both nonradiating CLBP and chronic
sciatica.
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