Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by frequent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing that vary in frequency and severity from patient to patient. Variable gradations of airflow obstruction, bronchial hyper-responsiveness and underlying inflammation determine the severity of the disease in each patient.

 

Asthma treatment can be classed as either long-term control medication, expected at controlling persistent asthma, or quick-relief medication, for the relief of exacerbations and severe symptoms. Currently, only two biologics – Xolair (omalizumab) and Nucala (mepolizumab) – are permitted as add-on therapy for the treatment of allergic and severe refractory eosinophilic asthma in the Asia-Pacific region.

The old age population is growing significantly, which will increase the asthma prevalence in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the severity of asthma increases with age, meaning elderly patients need more medications to control their asthma symptoms, which will drive the market. In addition to the aging population, other factors such as increases in air pollution, dust, and pollen levels also contribute to the increase in asthma prevalence. Air pollution leads to both the occurrence of the disease and its exacerbation in children, and there is growing evidence of asthma symptoms in children who live near roadways in high traffic zones (Kopnina, 2012).

 

While the asthma market is dominated almost exclusively by small molecules, the pipeline is more varied. It consists of 65% small molecules, but there are also 67 biologics, equating to 24% of the pipeline.

The rise in biologic development is possibly due to the success of Xolair (omalizumab), one of the currently marketed monoclonal antibodies (mAb) in asthma therapeutics, which reached blockbuster status in 2014. Xolair is a recombinant humanized anti-IgE, and was the first humanized therapeutic mAb to be specified for asthma. It was approved by the FDA in 2003 as an add-on therapy for adults and adolescents aged 12 and over with moderate-to-severe allergic asthma and symptoms not adequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS).

Several drugs that are in the pipeline show promise of improved targeted therapies that could have better potential. Presently, about four biologics are likely to be launched in Asia Pacific asthma therapeutics market.  However, the biologics sector for asthma is estimated to witness incredible growth in the coming years as Xolair attained a blockbuster status in 2014. Its launch in Asia Pacific has significantly intended at meeting the huge unmet medical needs.

Some of key players functioning in the Asia Pacific asthma therapeutics market are Astellas Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, SkyePharma, Novartis, Genentech, Merck & Co, Boehringer Ingelheim, Teva Pharmaceutical, Regeneron, and Sanofi. The research report assesses the research and development statuses of these companies, their expansion plans, and business and marketing strategies for the forecast period.