Hormone Therapies Dominate Menopause Therapeutics Market, Finds GBI Research

06 Dec 2012 • by Natalie Aster

There is room for improvement in the female health disorders market, and this is fuelling pharmaceutical companies to invest in R&D programs.

The new report, "Women’s Health Therapeutics Market to 2018 - Unmet Need for Safe and Effective Treatments due to Unfavorable Risk/Benefit Profile Associated with Hormone Replacement Therapy" by GBI Research, states that increased focus is being shown in therapy areas such as menopause, female sexual dysfunction and infertility, as large target markets and unsatisfactory existing treatments make patients a willing target for new treatments.

Report Details:

Women’s Health Therapeutics Market to 2018 - Unmet Need for Safe and Effective Treatments due to Unfavorable Risk/Benefit Profile Associated with Hormone Replacement Therapy
Published: November, 2012
Pages: 137
Price: US$ 3,150,00

The menopause therapeutics market is currently dominated by hormone therapies with highly questionable safety profiles. Patients as well as physicians are often reluctant to try hormone therapy as the first line treatment for menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis, as a result of studies such as the WHI Memory Study (WHIMS), the Estrogen Replacement and Atherosclerosis (ERA) study, and the Million Women Study, which have all raised concerns over the safety profile of hormone treatment (HT). Results suggested that hormone treatment (HT) was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, venous thromboembolism and stroke. The availability of alternative options such as lifestyle and diet changes, exercise and home remedies has also damaged the hormone therapy market, as despite the severity of postmenopausal symptoms, a majority of postmenopausal women tend to opt for home remedies and lifestyle changes rather than using hormone therapy.

Aprela is a progesterone-free treatment for menopausal symptoms which combines conjugated estrogens and bazedoxifene. The drug is currently under review by the US FDA for approval, and is predicted to restore the HT market with peak sales of approximately $1 billion after its expected approval next year. Aprela has shown favorable results in initial studies in comparison to other HT therapeutics, with studies suggesting that Aprela may pose fewer risks and milder side effects than Prempro and Premarin, and no evidence of breast tenderness and pain or increased breast cancer rates as compared to Evista. Other studies revealed that Aprela recipients experienced better sleep and diminished hot flashes compared to women who were treated with a placebo. The drug may therefore provide a better line of treatment for postmenopausal women. Once approved, the treatment is expected to compete strongly with medication currently on offer, significantly altering the menopause market dynamics.

Progression is also being made in the treatment of related menopausal conditions. The female sexual dysfunction therapeutics market currently does not have any FDA approved drugs that are comparable to Viagra for males, but there are many promising molecules in the late stage development phase, most of which have demonstrated high safety and efficacy profiles in clinical trials. If these new therapies can cater to the significant unmet need associated with current treatment options for female sexual dysfunction, they can command a price premium and drive the women’s therapy market.

More information can be found in the report “Women’s Health Therapeutics Market to 2018 - Unmet Need for Safe and Effective Treatments due to Unfavorable Risk/Benefit Profile Associated with Hormone Replacement Therapy” by GBI Research.

To order the report or ask for sample pages contact [email protected]

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