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Targeted Drug Delivery Technologies:
Players, products & prospects to 2015
This major strategic analysis provides a detailed insight into the current and future market for targeted drug delivery technology.
Providing...
Critical analyses and competitive ratings for major specialist developersUnique sales forecasts to 2015 for key current and new products utilising targeted drug delivery technologies A comprehensive examination of this major drug delivery sector
Whilst many approved and developmental drugs are well-tolerated, numerous drugs need advanced delivery technologies to improve pharmacokinetics, decrease toxicity, increase tolerability and ultimately enhance the therapeutic index. Peripheral toxicity related to the systemic administration of compounds can be dose limiting. However, the application of drug carrier platforms (dendrimers, liposomes, polymers, micelles) can significantly improve bio-distribution, whilst the addition of a targeted ligand (antibodies, peptides, proteins, vitamins) can enhance the selective uptake of drugs to target tissues or cells, thereby minimizing non-specific binding to non-target tissue.
It is estimated that the advanced drug delivery market was worth around US$6.5 billion in 2006 with around 50% derived from targeted carrier systems and the remainder derived from implants and intrauterine devices. Advances in polymer technologies have enabled delivery specialists to design carriers for targeted delivery either through direct drug conjugates or through polymer formulations. However, one vehicle may not meet all delivery needs and progress in liposome formulations has also met with considerable success.
The role of Mabs:
Some developers have chosen to harness the natural ability of monoclonal antibodies to target cells and where they may not make the grade as an immunotherapeutic, they may become useful carriers for drugs and the delivery of diagnostics and radiation. In addition, an array of antibody fragments and other gene targeting agents (aptamers, oligonucleotides) are also under investigation as targeting ligands for delivery.
This report identifies 25 companies which have active research and clinical programmes evaluating targeted delivery carriers. By 2015 we anticipate 15 of these companies may have new or improved formulations of approved products on the market that will help to address the high unmet clinical need for “targeted” therapies. It is anticipated that nearly 30 new products will enter the market to generate an additional US$2 billion in advanced drug delivery sales. These products cover a number of key therapy areas including, cancer, cardiovascular and infectious disease.
Combination products are the future:
Over time the line between each delivery system will become blurred as combination delivery systems evolve to meet the specific needs for each therapy class. As advances in nanotechnologies help to miniaturize delivery platforms, developments in targeting vehicles will grow to ensure the specific and selective intracellular and intranuclear delivery – providing the right drug at the right time to the right cell.
