New Ulcerative Colitis Drugs to Drive Market Growth

The market for ulcerative colitis treatments is expected to grow 5 percent annually until 2017, driven by newer biologics such as Abbott Laboratories’ Humira, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Orencia and Johnson & Johnson’s (J&J) investigational treatment golimumab.

Humira (adalimumab) and golimumab — used as maintenance treatments — are expected to drive almost two-thirds of growth over the next decade in the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, according to a new report from market research firm Decision Resources. 

“We project golimumab may have an advantage over its predecessors within the TNF-alpha inhibitor class — specifically Remicade [infliximab] and Humira — because the drug is being investigated for both intravenous and subcutaneous delivery,” Kathryn Benton, an analyst at Decision Resources, says in a statement. “However, we expect Humira to outperform golimumab in ulcerative colitis sales due to Humira’s earlier market entry and more well-established long-term safety profile.”

Humira is in Phase III testing for ulcerative colitis and is approved for rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis and Crohn’s disease.

During the second quarter of 2008, J&J submitted a BLA for the subcutaneous formulation of golimumab as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Bristol-Myer Squibb’s Orencia (abatacept) is expected to be approved as an acute and maintenance treatment for moderate-to-severe forms of ulcerative colitis by 2012, Decision Resources says.