Lu Rahman looks at the drug delivery market and where present and future opportunities may lie
Drug delivery
Developing a new drug that receives market approval can cost $2.6 billion, according to the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development.
“Drug development remains a costly undertaking despite on-going efforts across the full spectrum of pharmaceutical and biotech companies to rein in growing R&D costs,” said Joseph DiMasi, director of economic analysis at Tufts CSDD and principal investigator for the study.
The most obvious dosage form is oral – largely tablets, capsules or orally disintegrating granules (ODGs). A recent survey using 1000 individuals from the US and Germany commissioned by Hermes Pharma found that over half of them reported difficulties swallowing tablets or capsules, with a third of them rating the problem as serious.
According to Hermes: “The most frequent reasons cited were the tablets / capsules being too big, becoming stuck in the throat and having an unpleasant taste / odour. People did not report similar problems with foodstuffs or liquids.”
Hermes’ research found that 32% of people tried breaking tablets, 17% tried dissolving them in water and 9% tried chewing them. It highlights, “these approaches can negatively affect API release profile, bioavailability and medical efficacy.”
Addressing these issues offers potential for the pharmaceutical sector. Given the costs involved in the drug development process, formulating products that improve delivery has clear cost implications for the industry as well the patient experience. Certain factors play a part – bioavailability, drug release profile and effectiveness. Is the product for self-administration, likely to be for emergency use? Is it for a child or someone with swallowing issues such as the elderly? Does it need to be a slow release formula or take the form of suppositories? Addressing patient requirements can make the difference between a drug being taken correctly and not being taken at all, which may have adverse effects on the health of the patient.
Go large
The biologics market has opened up opportunities for drug manufacturers. According to a report by BCC Research, the total global market value for biologics is expected to reach $252 billion in 2017. These substances, manufactured from living organisms – animal or plant cells – are much larger than the small molecule compounds traditionally used to create synthesised drugs. Often produced using recombinant DNA technology, they are more expensive to produce – manufacturing biologics presents different challenges to conventional drugs as the slightest alteration can change the make-up of the end protein. The proteins in biologics are highly sensitive meaning that ultra careful culturing and purification is required to ensure a consistently high standard of active ingredient. Well known biologic drugs include AbbVie’s Humira – a global best-selling anti-inflammatory; Avastin which at one point was one of the most expensive drugs on the market and Herceptin used to treat breast cancer.
Small wonders
The nanotechnology – including nanocrystals, nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, nanotubes – has experienced market growth over recent years. The development of nanomedicines has increased with conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and obesity benefitting from the development of this form of drug delivery.
According to Transparency Market Research, Eurostat data says that: “The nano-medicine industry in the EU includes 97 start-ups, 64 SMEs, and 38 large pharmaceutical or medical device companies. Furthermore, technological advancements and rising interest of key companies to invest in nanotechnology boost market growth. For instance, in 2011–2012, Pfizer, Amgen and AstraZeneca signed agreements to collaborate with BIND Therapeutics to develop nano-medicines… The global nanotechnology drug delivery market was valued at US$ 41,062.5 million in 2014 and is projected to reach US$ 118,527.2 million by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 12.5% from 2015 to 2023.”
The drug delivery marketplace is exciting and innovative. As research informs the way we tackle illnesses, drug formulations are advancing paving the way for new products. With on-going development into the way medicines are taken, there is admittedly still work to be done but hopefully many opportunities to be explored.