Systemic lupus erythematosus drug market to grow to $1.6 billion in 2018

The global systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) therapeutics market in the seven  leading countries ( the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan) was estimated to be worth $256 million in 2010 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.7% to reach $1.6 billion in 2018, according to industry analysis specialist GlobalData.

GlaxoSmithKline and Human Genome Sciences’ Benlysta (belimumab) was approved on March 9, 2011 by the US Food and Drug Administration and on July 14, 2011 by the European Medicine Evaluation Agency (EMEA) in Europe for treating adult patients with active, autoantibody-positive SLE. It the first drug for SLE to be approved in 50 years and is expected to drive the SLE market in the near future. Furthermore, the entry of four first-in-class (FIC) biologics - Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Orencia (abatacept), atacicept, Immunomedics’ epratuzumab, LY2127399 - is expected to play a major role in the expansion of the SLE market by 2018.

Strong pipeline candidates with novel mechanisms expected to intensify future competition