OTC H2 Antagonists In Japan's GI Market

Over-the-counter drug products currently account for 21% of Japan's $3.18 billion market for gastrointestinal remedies, according to a new report from Datamonitor's new counter intelligence Service series. The largest sector of the market is for products dealing with conditions such as indigestion and dyspepsia, which are estimated to account for 58% of the total.

OTC switching of prescription drugs has been a major driver of the Japanese market in recent years, particularly in the area of gastrointestinals, the report notes. The three top-selling H2 antagonists, Yamanouchi's Gaster (famotidine), Glaxo Wellcome's Zantac (ranitidine) and SmithKline Beecham's Tagamet (cimetidine) are all expected to go OTC this year, but the report feels that in order to have a significant impact on the market, these products will have to be backed by substantial promotional investments.

Datamonitor also points out that although the H2 antagonists will be competing in the indigestion market, there has been official reluctance to approve them for this indication. These drugs may expand the market, but this could be by simply substituting older products, with any rise in market value mainly reflecting their higher prices and not increased volumes.