Rheumatoid arthritis drug market forecast to grow modestly to $15.2 billion in 2021

The rheumatoid arthritis drug market will experience modest growth over the next decade as sales increase from $11.1 billion in 2011 to $15.2 billion in 2021 in the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan, according to a new report from health care advisory firm Decision Resources.

The Pharmacor advisory service entitled Rheumatoid Arthritis also finds that insight from interviewed experts and the continued dominance of the TNF-alpha inhibitors clearly indicate that rheumatologists are relatively satisfied with the efficacy of TNF-alpha inhibitors and clinicians place great importance on positive long-term safety and physician familiarity.

To be considered for the same line of therapy as the TNF-alpha inhibitors, new rheumatoid arthritis agents must show compelling advantages on price, be at least as effective as the TNF-alpha inhibitors and have no major safety problems. TNF-alpha inhibitors continue to dominate as first-line biological agents, accounting for nearly three-quarters of major-market sales. As the number of effective alternative biologics increases, the market share for TNF-alpha inhibitors will decrease substantially by 2021.