New therapies to treat glaucoma, anticipated for release in 2020, are expected to improve patient compliance thanks to their novel mechanisms of action (MOA), according to data and analytics company, GlobalData.
With no new classes of drugs having been developed for the treatment of glaucoma in the last twenty years, the focus of pharmaceutical companies has begun to shift towards the development of glaucoma drugs with novel MOAs, a trend that GlobalData expects will continue to 2026.
Ocular Therapeutix’s OTX-TP and Allergan’s Bimatoprost SR, which will provide a sustained release of drugs directly into the eye
Small Molecule Focus
GlobalData identified a glaucoma pipeline of 120 drugs across all stages of development, with more than two thirds of the pipeline drugs being developed in early stage.
Small molecules are the focus of drug developers as these constitute more than 68 per cent of the total glaucoma pipeline drugs. According to GlobalData’s latest report: Glaucoma: Competitive Landscape to 2026, 11 late-stage drug products will launch in the eight major markets (8MM*) during, or shortly after, the forecast period from 2016 to 2026.
Glaucoma is an established indication, with large numbers of treatments that have become available over the years, and as a result the disease is generally associated with low levels of unmet needs. However, some unmet need does remain in this disease area, with most of these generally considered to be for greater patient compliance.
Sustained Release for Compliance
Alessio Brunello, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, said “The importance of a greater compliance in glaucoma is reflected in the late stage pipeline, which contains several products developed to help meet this unmet need. In particular, there are two sustained release (SR) implants, Ocular Therapeutix’s OTX-TP and Allergan’s Bimatoprost SR, which will provide a sustained release of drugs directly into the eye, and avoid potential issues of non-compliance associated with topical drugs. These two products, when they will be launched, are expected to have a significant impact on the glaucoma market.”
The glaucoma market is highly competitive, heavily genericised and dominated by prostaglandin analog (PGA) drugs, particularly by generic latanoprost, which captures the largest patient share of any glaucoma drug throughout the 8MM. However, ample opportunity exists for new treatment options to impact the market, as highlighted by a healthy late-stage clinical pipeline.
Mr Brunello said, “Even though the glaucoma market is crowded and increasingly genericised, there are opportunities for products that are able to help address existing unmet needs. The first SR implants for glaucoma are set to launch in 2020, and are expected to improve compliance and convenience of treatment in glaucoma patients. However, all developmental implants currently use a PGA as the active component, meaning there is opportunity for further implants that contain other therapeutic classes as the active ingredient, or even an FDC of multiple drugs.”
* 8MM: US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Japan and China
Information based on GlobalData’s report: Glaucoma: Competitive Landscape to 2026