Generics to shrink allergic rhinitis market 20 percent by 2019: Datamonitor

The world market for treatments addressing allergic rhinitis will shrink by 20 percent to $US4 billion over the next 10 years as increasing numbers of generic products come to market, according to industry analysts Datamonitor.

Allergic rhinitis refers to the swelling of the lining of the nose following an allergic reaction and the group estimates that there are approximately 181 million people living with the condition in the seven major markets of the US, Japan, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK.

But while a growing proportion of these people will seek cheaper generic treatments over the coming years, Datamonitor points to recent advances in the immunotherapy segment of the market as evidence of new business opportunities emerging.

“Immunotherapy is the only treatment option for allergic rhinitis with a disease modifying potential, but concerns over cost and safety, particularly for subcutaneous formulations, have kept symptomatic treatments as the more popular choice,” said Datamonitor analyst Jacoba van der Gaag.

“However, in recent years we’ve been witnessing large-scale development programs in immunotherapy for the first time, driven largely by new guidelines and changing regulations. “This will always be a niche market, though this innovation is now promising growth.”

For example, Datamonitor forecasts that two new sublingual tablets targeting grass allergies, Grazax (ALK-Abelló) and Oralair (Stallergènes), will have combined sales of $264m in the US and EU by 2019.

Opportunities also exist within the antihistamine class, where sales of life-cycle management strategies can help to offset losses arising from the arrival of cheaper generics as well as reinforcing brand awareness. Examples include the reformulation of molecules and/or combinations with decongestants. Datamonitor cautions however, that companies that have released new products after patent expiry have struggled to gain much traction.

“The success of this strategy relies heavily on timing of new launches relative to generic entry,” said van der Gaag.