Hepatitis therapies present major opportunities

Despite some progress, significant unmet needs remain in the treatmentof six major viruses - human immuno-deficiency virus, hepatitis B and C virus, human papilloma virus, herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 and varicella- zoster virus, says a new study from Decision Resources.

The combination of large patient populations and these unmet needs has created a dynamic, potentially-lucrative market opportunity for companies competing in this field, it says, forecasting that the fastest-growing segment will be anti-HCV therapies. Growth drivers here include: rising diagnosis rates as clinicians and patients become more aware of the disease; increasing numbers of HCV-infected people who will become symptomatic over the next five years; and availability and uptake of new and more effective therapies.

DR also foresees substantial market opportunities for anti-HBV and anti-HIV drugs, driven by the fact that these viruses require prolonged drug treatment and the constant need for new drug therapies that are not susceptible to current mechanisms of resistance.