Global dermatology market set to benefit extensively from pipeline biologics

According to GBI Research, the use of biologics in dermatology has gained prominence over the years, primarily in psoriatic disease

The global dermatology market, which covers over 3,000 distinct dermatological conditions ranging from rare autoimmune disorders such as scleroderma to very common conditions such as acne, is set to see an increased presence of biologics over the next few years, particularly monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and biosimilars, according to business intelligence provider GBI Research.

The company’s latest report states that for the past decade the majority of the therapeutic dermatology market has been saturated and highly genericised. There is a significant unmet need for more efficacious and safer treatment options, as the long-term use of many available treatments is associated with poor efficacy, low patient compliance, and problematic safety profiles.

Jennifer Goossens, Associate Analyst, GBI Research, explains, “In contrast with the market, the dermatology pipeline is highly diverse in terms of molecule type. Small molecules continue to dominate over half of the pipeline, while biologics represent over a third, and around 10 per cent are made up of a range of rarer molecule types including cell therapies, gene therapies, and synthetic peptides.

“While mAbs have started to establish their market presence, gene therapies, vaccines, and cell therapies are not yet well established in the dermatology market. A particularly high degree of diversity is seen at the discovery and preclinical stages, at which mAbs, proteins, oligonucleotides, and synthetic peptides account for a considerable proportion of the pipeline.”

A greater understanding of the inflammatory and systemic nature of many skin diseases has led to the development of biologics with the ability to target specific pro-inflammatory cytokines, or other relevant inflammatory mediators involved in dermatological disorders. The use of biologics in dermatology has gained prominence over the years, primarily in psoriatic disease, a condition in which clinical success has created enthusiasm for their use in other dermatological conditions.

Goossens continues, “This is reflected in the various biologics currently in the pipeline for major skin disorders, for which there is a significant unmet need in patients with moderate to severe conditions. Biologics represent over a third of pipeline molecules, despite only accounting for a small fraction of the marketed products landscape, where they are vastly outnumbered by small molecules. This strong presence could have a considerable impact on treatment algorithms in the dermatology therapy area, according to GBI Research. For example, the first biologic for the major dermatological disease atopic dermatitis, Dupixent (dupilumab), was approved by the FDA on 28 March 2017 and is expected to signal the start of a new trend for biologics in the dermatology space.”