Diabetes Therapies and Diagnostics: Markets, Technologies, Players

Report Highlights

• The total market for diabetes drugs and devices is estimated at $18 billion in 2002. Growing at an average annual rate (AAGR) of 11.5%, the market is expected to exceed $30.7 billion in 2007.
• Drug sales in 2002 are expected to be $12.5 billion, increasing to almost $21 billion by 2007 at an AAGR of 10.3%.
• Insulin was 33% of the market in 2000 and is expected to hold on to that share.
• Sulfanylureas and biguanides are expected to lose considerable market share to generics, newer classes of drugs, and to the extremely popular thiazolidinediones.
• The two major diabetes medical devices are glucose monitors and insulin pumps. Glucose monitors are expected to rise at an AAGR of 13.7% to $8 billion by 2007. Insulin pumps are expected to grow to $1.8 billion by 2007 at an AAGR of 18.7%.

INTRODUCTION

This report contains a comprehensive analysis of current and emerging diabetes products and technology as well as providing a forecast for how those products will perform through 2007. The report's goal is to give an overview of diabetes, analyze products for treating diabetes, provide insight into industry trends, and look to the future of the diabetes market. It includes world and U.S. forecasts for the major diabetes drugs, glucose monitors, and insulin pumps.

REASONS FOR DOING THE STUDY

Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death, and is on the rise due to increasing obesity in both developed and developing countries. For type 1 diabetes, the only effective treatment remains painful insulin injections. Type 2 diabetics can take oral drugs, but over time most end up needing insulin injections to control their disease. Not only is taking insulin painful and inconvenient, but people who tightly control their diabetes to prevent secondary disease are at high risk of low blood sugar episodes.

The oral drugs often fail to effectively control diabetes over the long-term, and have side effects that include weight gain, low blood sugar, stomach cramps, nausea, and bloating. What's more, many type 2 diabetics have the added burden of taking more than one oral drug-many of which must be taken several times a day-in addition to drugs for high cholesterol and other ailments. New therapies due on the market by 2007 are significantly more effective and more convenient than the currently available drugs. By 2007, five new classes of drugs are due on the market, greatly expanding the current offering of six oral diabetes drugs and insulin.

CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY AND FOR WHOM

This report provides a thorough background of the diabetes drug and devices market, offering information needed to understand the current market and to assess the market in the future. It is an invaluable tool for planners, acquisitions specialists, licensing strategists, product managers, market research analysts, investor consultants, and anyone interested in the diabetes market, its products, its industry participants, and its future.

SCOPE AND FORMAT

This report covers the seven major diabetes drug classes: insulin, biguanides, sulfonylureas, α-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, meglitinides, and D-phenylalanine derivatives. It also includes insulin pumps and glucose monitoring devices. Upcoming classes of diabetes drugs include PPARα/γ agonists, γ agonist (non-thiazolinedione), glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors, glucagon-like peptides, and dipeptidylpeptidase IV inhibitors. The report includes a discussion of the products and their market trends, and market forecasts.

The report does not include drugs that treat secondary complications of diabetes such as retinopathy, neuropathy, heart disease, or kidney disease. Included in the report is an analysis of the competitive environment of the diabetes market with a focus on how new products and new companies entering the market will affect growth. Product forecasts take into account the scientific assessment of a product, marketing effort, the effect of generics, trends in prescribing, trends in diabetes prevalence, and the affect of emerging drugs as they reach the market. The report also includes profiles of the companies involved in the diabetes market including product pipelines and research, and development focus of the companies.

Forecasts include sales figures for 2000 and give projections through 2007, including supporting information to clarify how forecasts were made. The study includes an overview of diabetes and the diabetes product market followed by forecasts by product type. There is also a discussion of the international market, industry structure, and regulatory environment

METHODOLOGY

Forecasts in this report were made through careful review of data supplied by leading companies in the diabetes drug industry and from government agencies and regulatory bodies that monitor and/or regulate diabetes treatment. Additional information from company annual reports, journal articles, prospectus assessments, government resources, and data from health care institutions all contributed to estimates of future trends in the diabetes drug and device market.

INFORMATION SOURCES

Information in this report comes from current and emerging companies in the diabetes market, in addition to data from industry analysts and health care professionals. Data also comes from the American Diabetes Association, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization (WHO), literature searchers, annual reports, and product literature.

AUTHOR CREDENTIALS

Amy Adams has a Master of Science in genetics from Cornell University and a degree in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Ms. Adams has written extensively about science for magazines and online health sites including The Scientist, Science, Astronomy, New Scientist, and CBS HealthWatch. She wrote about molecular biology tools for biological research at Clontech Laboratories, Inc. and developed content about the genetics of common diseases for the award winning web site Genetic Health. While at Genetic Health, Ms. Adams developed diabetes health information material for medical professionals and the general public, covering advances in diabetes treatment, detection, and prevention.