| Worldwide
sales of antidiabetic drugs reached $8.1 billion for
the 12 months to September 2000. Oral antidiabetics
accounted for 63% of these sales and Glucophage (metformin)
was the leading product.
Type 2 diabetes accounts for almost 90% of cases and
is rising, with the risk of developing the disease
increasing with age. Sales of insulin
sensitizers continue to grow and combination therapy
is common in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Future
developments for the treatment of diabetes include
inhaled insulin as an alternative to injections.
Sales of antidiabetic drugs continue to rise
Global sales of antidiabetic drugs topped $8.1 billion
for the 12 months to September 2000, a 19% increase
over the previous 12 months according to IMS HEALTH's
MIDAS
pharmaceutical sales system. Oral antidiabetic drugs
- the leading class of drugs used to treat the disease
- accounted for almost 63% of sales during this period,
with sales for top-ranked Glucophage totaling $1.6
billion.
It is estimated that there are about 135 million cases
of diabetes in the world today, many of these still
undiagnosed. Recent studies indicate that this number
could rise to 300 million by 2025. With the rising
number of diabetes sufferers worldwide, the market
for diabetes medications could exceed $20 billion
by 2006.
Physicians
attribute the growing number of diabetics to various
factors including:
- Increased
prevalence of obesity
- Sedentary
lifestyle
- Poor
dietary habits
- Ageing
populations
- New
and stricter diagnosis criteria
Older
adults have higher risk
The most common form of diabetes, Type 2, accounts
for about 90% of all diabetes cases, with 2-3% of
the population in developed countries suffering from
the disease. The majority of people treated are aged
55 and over, with the largest group of patients between
65 and 74 years old, according to IMS HEALTH Medical
Dynamics data.
| Age
Distribution of Oral Antidiabetics by Prescriptions
Year ending June 2000
|
Source:
IMS HEALTH Medical Dynamics
Use of insulin sensitizers growing
The new thiazolidinedione insulin sensitizers have
proven to be extremely useful in the treatment of
Type 2 diabetes. For example, Avandia
and Actos, both launched in 1999, have been marketed
for use as a monotherapy or in combination with other
oral antidiabetic drugs such as metformin and sulphonylurea.
Insulin sensitizers have been found to reduce insulin
resistance in Type 2 diabetes treatments.
Combination therapy is common in the treatment of
Type 2 diabetes, and even Avandia and Actos are frequently
prescribed with Glucophage or other products.
Co-Prescribing
of Leading Antidiabetics in USA by Prescriptions
Year ending June 2000
|
Source:
IMS HEALTH Medical Dynamics
Co-Prescribing
of Leading Antidiabetics in the UK by Prescriptions
Year ending June 2000
|
Source:
IMS HEALTH Medical Dynamics
Future developments
Inhaled insulin, currently in Phase III clinical
trials for use in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, is also
expected to play an important role in the management
of the disease. Consisting of a hand-held inhalation
device that delivers insulin as a fine, drug aerosol
powder to the lungs for systemic distribution, inhaled
insulin will provide a convenient and non-invasive
alternative to injections. |
