The Parkinson’s disease (PD) market across the seven major markets (7MM) is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from $3.4 billion in 2019 to $6.4 billion in 2029, driven by the anticipated introduction of 14 promising late-stage pipeline products as well as an increase in the prevalent patient population, says GlobalData, a data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s report, “Parkinson’s Disease: Seven-Market Drug Forecast and Market Analysis” reveals that AbbVie’s Produodopa/Vyalev is anticipated to reach blockbuster status and become the highest-selling PD drug with sales of $1.1 billion in the 7MM by 2029. Produodopa/Vyalev, which delivers a continuous infusion of levodopa subcutaneously, is expected to offer a non-invasive route of administration, reduce pill burden, and improve compliance while treating difficult-to-address motor fluctuations in advanced PD patients.
Christie Wong, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The advancement in delivery systems is one of the most rapidly changing areas in PD treatment. This is mostly driven by the market for levodopa, which has been the gold standard drug therapy for patients with PD for over 50 years.”
Another major focus of R&D in the PD therapeutic space is the development of first-in-class products with disease-modifying or neuroprotective potential. Targeting α-synuclein is a key strategy in the late-stage pipeline for disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), as exemplified by Annovis Bio’s buntanetap and Roche/Prothena’s prasinezumab.
Additional pipeline agents investigated for disease-modifying or neuroprotective properties include Neuraly’s glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) agonist, NLY01. It is suggested that GLP1 agonists can reduce systemic and brain insulin resistance, an abnormality that may help drive PD pathogenesis. Furthermore, BioVie’s NE-3107 and Alkahest’s ALK-4290 target neuroinflammatory mediators, which may contribute to neurodegeneration in PD.
Wong continues: “As PD therapy currently centers on symptomatic treatment, the need for DMTs is one of the greatest unmet needs in PD treatment. Key opinion leaders interviewed by GlobalData agreed that if a product significantly slowed the progression of PD, it would have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of the disease. GlobalData forecasts that these products will launch during 2026-2029 in the 7MM and contribute sales of $164.2 million in the 7MM by 2029.”
Although there is a massive opportunity for companies to develop pipeline DMTs with novel mechanisms of action, these companies face significant risk due to the high failure rate in the PD space.
Wong concludes: “This failure rate is the product of numerous challenges. For example, disease-modifying and neuroprotective therapies are theoretically less effective in advanced-stage patients in whom the disease has already progressed. Thus, these products are often best studied in preclinical or early-stage patients, who are more difficult to identify, diagnose, and track progress over long periods of time. Additionally, the lack of reliable biomarkers that measure disease progression and an incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology and etiology of PD, remain major barriers for new entrants into the PD market.
“As such, the PD pipeline has traditionally focused on the less risky endeavor of levodopa reformulation strategies. However, a breakthrough therapy with a first-in-class product would be rewarded generously, particularly if it addressed key unmet needs in PD.”
