Rising Competition for Treating Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia Requires Companies to Focus on Therapies for Negative and Cognitive Symptoms

BURLINGTON, Mass., Nov. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources Group finds that the schizophrenia market will decline from $6.1 billion in 2016 to $5.1 billion in 2026. This decline will be due to the continued genericization of top-selling antipsychotic agents, thereby, branded agents offering modest differentiation will face intense competition. Drug developers are increasingly required to focus on areas of unmet need to command premium pricing as well as to garner notable patient share in this indication.

Other key findings from the Disease Landscape & Forecast report entitled Schizophrenia:

• Increasing use of long-acting injectable formulations: In the major-markets under study (United States, EU5, and Japan), the use of long-acting depot formulations of atypical antipsychotics will increase during the forecast period (2016-2026), though the patient share will vary by region.
• Newer-to-market agents offer modest differentiation from existing ones: Lundbeck/Otsuka's Rexulti, Allergan's Vraylar, Janssen's Invega Trinza/Trevicta, and Alkermes's Aristada offer some differentiation versus earlier launched agents. However, in the absence of a proven efficacy advantage over existing therapies, they will face challenges in garnering a substantial patient share in this market.
• Emerging therapies for schizophrenia: We expect the launch of Indivior's RBP-7000 and Alkermes's ALKS-3831 during our forecast period. RBP-7000 is a once-a-month depot formulation of risperidone offering a dosing frequency advantage over once-every-two-weeks Janssen's Risperdal Consta. ALKS-3831 is a fixed-dose combination of olanzapine and samidorphan, with the potential of lower metabolic side effects than olanzapine.
• Therapies for the treatment of negative symptoms and cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia: A number of therapies offering novel mechanisms of action are in mid- to early-phases of drug development. Of note, Minerva Neurosciences' MIN-101 has completed a Phase IIb study in patients with negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Analyst Himanshu Jain:

• "Though the schizophrenia market is highly competitive, there still lies blockbuster opportunities in targeting underserved patient populations like schizophrenia patients with predominant negative symptoms. An example is the uptake noticed for cariprazine for schizophrenia in the United States. According to interviewed experts, enthusiasm for cariprazine is due to some clinical efficacy being perceived by psychiatrists in the predominant-negative symptoms subpopulation."
• "Nearly one-third of schizophrenia patients are treatment resistant and are left with only one approved therapeutic option, clozapine, which is associated with severe side effects and requires patient monitoring. An agent which is as efficacious as clozapine in treatment-resistant patients but offers a better safety profile will doubtlessly be welcomed by psychiatrists."

Additional Resources:

• Himanshu Jain has written a whitepaper on the 'Potential Strengths and Weaknesses of Key Newly Launched and Emerging Therapies for Schizophrenia,' which can be found here.

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About Decision Resources Group
DRG, a subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Ltd., is the premier source for global healthcare data and market intelligence. A trusted partner for over 20 years, DRG helps companies competing in the global healthcare industry make informed business decisions. Organizations committed to the developing and delivering life-changing therapies to patients rely on DRG's in-house team of expert healthcare analysts, data scientists, and consultants for critical guidance. DRG products and services, built on extensive data assets and delivered by experts, empower organizations to succeed in complex healthcare markets.

Media contact:

Decision Resources Group
Stephanie Cooper
212-414-7570
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SOURCE Decision Resources Group