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| |  Greater Use of Preventative Inhaled Treatments Minimizes Asthma Attacks LONDON—Dec. 3, 1996 -- The incidence of asthma and a whole range of allergic conditions have been rising steadily the last three decades and is poised to reach epidemic proportions. It is estimated that in Europe, between 15 and 20 percent of the population are troubled by allergies, with similar ranges recorded for other industrialized countries. The causes of the dramatic rise in allergy diseases are not fully understood; however, there appears to be a strong correlation with pollution. Despite the rising incidence of allergic diseases, the future for pharmaceutical companies operating in these fields looks mixed. According to a report by international marketing consultant Frost & Sullivan, suppliers are having to adapt to the harsher healthcare environment where brands no longer reign supreme. A substantial part of both sectors are likely to be supplied by generic drugs, even in countries where their usage has previously been very low. Within the asthma market, prescription controls are likely to mean that generic salbutamol and beclamethasone will be the mainstream drugs for asthma the next few years. Frost & Sullivan estimates the overall European asthma and allergy treatment product market to have been worth US$3.99 billion in 1995, forecast to reach US$6.12 million by the end of the study period in the year 2002. This value includes all prescription therapeutic drugs, related diagnostic testing and immunotherapies as well as medical devices. The vast majority of the revenues from the treatment market are accounted for by the allergy and asthma therapeutic drugs sector, together representing 90.3 percent of the overall 1995 product market. Immunotherapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices account for the remaining 9.7 percent. Miss Debra Yetman, heathcare research manager at Frost & Sullivan, says: "Although there is a small but steady increase in the number of patients requiring treatment, the markets are relatively static, with prices of some treatments falling." "This is primarily due to the fact that governments all over Europe have introduced legislation to reduce prices, in an attempt to control the expenditure on healthcare, including the granting of over-the-counter licences for many allergy treatments." The use of inhaled therapy continues to have a very important place in asthma management, with metered dose inhalers (MDIs) as the main delivery system. Traditionally, MDIs have used CFCs as the propellant to deliver the drug. The use of CFCs is controlled world-wide with proposals under way to introduce a global ban on their manufacture and use, because of the harmful impact on the ozone layer of the atmosphere. The main alternative to CFC-driven inhalers is dry powered, which requires no propellant, but a mechanical inhalation device. Many devices have reached the market in the last few years and dry powder accounts for around 20 percent of the European market and is growing. Companies participating in this market include: 3M Healthcare, Abello SA, Alcon Pharma GmbH, Alfa Wasserman SpA, ALK Laboratories, Allergan GmbH, Allergopharma, Almirall SA, ASTA Medica AG, Astra AB, Bayer AG, Bencard, Berenguer-Infale Laboratories, bioMerieux, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Byk Gulden Lomberg Chemische Fabrik GmbH, Camillo Corvi SpA, Cascan GmbH & Co. KG, Chiesi, Ciba Corning/Chiron Diagnostics, Ciba-Geigy AG, Clement Clarke International Ltd, DeVilbiss Healthcare UK Ltd, Diagnostic Products Corporation, Dompe Farmaceutici SpA, Elmu Quimica Farmaceutica SL, FarmaCusi SA, Ferraris Medical Ltd, Fisons plc, Glaxo Wellcome plc, HAL, Hafslund Nycomed, Healthdyne International, Hermal Kurt Herrmann, Hoechst AG, Hycor Biomedical Inc, Ivax Corporation, Janssen Pharmaceutica BV, Jouveinal Laboratoires, Klinge Pharma GmbH, Knoll AG, Laboratoires Biopharma, Laboratoires Cassenne, Lacer SA, Leiras OY, Lesvi SA, Malesci Istituto Farmacobiologico Spa, Hoechst Marion Roussel (formerly Marion Merrell Dow Inc), Medic-Aid, Medix Ltd, A Menarini, Merck & Co Inc, Omron Corporation, Pari Werk GmbH, Pfizer Inc., Pharmachemie BV, Pharmacia & Upjohn, Polifarma SpA, Recordati SpA, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer SA, Roche, Samil SpA, Sandoz Ltd, Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur, Schering-Plough Corporation, Schering AG, SIFI, Sigma-Tau, SmithKline Beecham plc, Stallergnes SA, Synthelabo, Roche Bioscience, Inc, Timesco Surgical, Trudell Medical, UCB, Valeas, Vitalograph Inc, Yamanouchi Europe BV, and Zeneca plc. Frost & Sullivan is an international marketing consulting company that monitors the biotech & pharmaceutical therapeutics industry for market trends, market measurements, and strategies. This ongoing research is utilized to update a series of research publications and to support industry participants with customized consulting needs. Free executive summaries of all Frost & Sullivan reports are available to the press.
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