Alzheimer’s still has no cure; however, with the help of medications, the symptoms of this disease can be controlled. Treating Alzheimer’s disease is a high-risk treatment, but it is a high-reward market.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, characterized by memory loss, cognitive impairment, and functional impairment. During the early stages of this disease, sleep disturbances and forgetfulness are the first symptoms to manifest in a patient. It is a progressive disease, as it gradually increases over time and damages the maximum part of the brain and eventually breaks the brain cells and nerves. The primary concern regarding Alzheimer’s disease is detection of the disease in the patient.
In 2017, the market completely changed with the introduction of disease-modifying therapies and innovative diagnostic technologies for Alzheimer’s disease. The potential of new drugs and diagnostics in this market is enormous, given the high prevalence of AD. Prescription drugs are currently approved to treat early to moderate Alzheimer’s with a class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors. These inhibitors are prescribed to treat symptoms related to memory, thinking, language, judgment, and other thought processes.
Many of the prescription drugs are currently being approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The FDA has also approved many specific drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease that are helpful in curing symptoms. According to the latest Dementia India report, a study by the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) revealed that there are almost 3.7 million people affected by dementia in India. The Alzheimer’s drug market in India is largely occupied by domestic and foreign generic drug developers.
A report from a market intelligence firm states that the Alzheimer’s disease market accounted for $ 5.7 billion in 2015, at a CAGR of 10.3%. Due to the expiration of drug patents and the entry of many generics into the market, the market is expected to experience a decline in 2017. The market is expected to record record growth, driven by disease-modifying drugs and numerous drugs in final phase. The prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States is nearly 5 million. In addition, due to the increasing aging of the population, the number is expected to increase even more globally.
The main obstacle to the market for Alzheimer’s disease drugs and diagnostics is the lack of surrogate markers on the market for drug discovery and development. In addition, it is a very expensive process, which is fraught with problems of uncertainty. Treating Alzheimer’s is a delicate matter. Currently, there is no specific test that can confirm the presence of Alzheimer’s.
