Global Atopic Dermatitis Market Set to Reach USD 18.3 Billion by 2027

The atopic dermatitis market is expected to grow from USD 6.4 billion in 2017 to USD 18.3 billion in 2027 across the seven major markets (7MM) at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.1 percent. A drive to address the high level of unmet needs fuels strong growth in the market, with widening appreciation that atopic dermatitis is a highly variable disease and that not every patient will react in the same way to the same therapy. Antoine Grey, MBiochem, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, says: “Developers operating in the dermatology space are aware of the enormous patient potential of the atopic dermatitis market; however, the challenge lies with the fact that first-line therapy is dominated by cheap, genericized topical drugs such as corticosteroids and TCIs. These have created a considerable barrier for any new drug hoping to penetrate the mild-to-moderate patient segment, and an additional obstacle for any developer looking to gain a meaningful return on investment for a novel therapy.

“From an environmental perspective, the current understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis has improved but is still lacking, as the cause of atopic dermatitis has not been completely defined. If a genetic component or signaling error inherent to all atopic dermatitis patients is isolated, it could be used to make targeted treatments that could potentially cure the disease.” Moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis patients will be well served by the arrival of new therapies, with seven of the eight forecasted drugs being aimed at that particular population. However, competition is likely to be high among products targeting this demographic, whose annual cost of therapy (ACOT) are likely to rival that of Dupixent (dupilumab).

Grey adds: “The late-stage pipeline exclusively contains Interleukin (IL) inhibitors and Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors, some of which are being developed by companies that already have products in the atopic dermatitis market, such as LEO Pharma, and by others that have yet to become involved in the atopic dermatitis market. Regeneron/Sanofi will be seeking a label expansion for Dupixent into other age groups, and Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and AbbVie are looking to launch orally administered JAK inhibitors, two of which have been granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA.” – GlobalData