The growth of the market is attributed to the rising prevalence of asthma and the increasing research activities and product innovations. However, the unmet medical needs hamper the market growth.
The treatment and management therapies for asthma have continued to develop with various drugs in the pipeline. Tezepelumab is a recently FDA-approved injection as an add-on maintenance treatment to improve severe asthma symptoms and the patient’s current asthma medicines. The drug targets and blocks thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), a key epithelial cytokine (cell-signaling proteins). Similarly, Masitinib, developed by AB Science, is an orally administered tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets mast cells through inhibition of tyrosine kinases c-Kit, LYN, and FYN; it has recently been granted authorization by the French Medicine Agency to initiate a Phase III study to evaluate the drug in patients with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS) or non-active Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (nSPMS). Astegolimab is another promising monoclonal antibody showing promising efficacy in reducing asthma exacerbation rates. The emphasis on precision medicine for asthma control through the development of new asthma guidelines is also expected to create a positive change toward asthma drugs and individualized care.
In 2020, the FDA approved the triple therapy of fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol (Trelegy Ellipta, GSK) for the treatment of asthma in patients aged 18 years and above. The approval was based on the CAPTAIN study (Clinical study of Asthma Patients receiving Triple therapy through A single INhaler), which showed significant improvements in lung function after using the triple therapy compared to fluticasone furoate and vilanterol in a single daily dose and an easy-to-use inhaler.
Various other research and clinical studies point toward the growth of the asthma drugs market with drug combinations, novel drugs, and other modes of drug delivery under research. These developments have created several drugs that resulted in a positive change, and with the ongoing research landscape, further drug discovery and development are expected in the coming years.
The Middle East and Africa asthma drugs market, by medication, is segmented into quick relief medications and long-term control medications. Based on route of administration, the market is segmented into inhaled, prefilled syringe/vials, and others. Based on distribution channel, the Asia Pacific asthma drugs market is segmented into online pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and retail pharmacies. By country, the market is segmented into the Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE and Rest of Middle East and Africa.
AstraZeneca; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH; GlaxoSmithKline plc.; Merck & Co., Inc.; Koninklijke Philips N.V.; Sanofi; Pfizer Inc. (Arena Pharmaceutical GmbH); Novartis AG; and Abbott are among the leading companies operating in the Middle East and Africa asthma drugs market.