Metabolic syndrome drug market set to double to $18B by 2014

The worldwide market to treat metabolic syndrome will nearly double from $9.5 billion in 2004 to almost $18.0 billion in 2014, according to a new report from business research firm Decision Resources.

The Pharmacor report, entitled Metabolic Syndrome, finds that market growth will be driven by French drug major Sanofi-Aventis' Acomplia (rimonabant) and world leading pharmaceutical firm Pfizer's fixed-dose combination of atorvastatin and torcetrapib. In 2014, Acomplia and the combination of atorvastatin and torcetrapib will garner more than $3.0 billion in sales, accounting for 17% of the total market to treat this condition. The report also finds that the creation of a consensus definition of metabolic syndrome remains the greatest unmet need in this indication.

"While we expect this market to grow substantially over the next decade, the achievement of a consensus definition of metabolic syndrome will have broad implications for the future of the market," commented Donny Wong, an analyst at DR. "As the medical community continues to debate the different criteria that define metabolic syndrome, the recent release of similar definitions from the International Diabetes Federation and the American Heart Association marks a key milestone in the growing consensus among physicians," he added.