UK report questions therapeutic vaccine market

An independent report into the pharmaceutical industry has highlighted problems and possible successes in the therapeutic vaccine market.

The Datamonitor report shows that in recent years the only three therapeutic vaccines to hit the market have resulted in low sales and failed to gain US approval.

However, it was found that the long-term prospects for such vaccines are good.

Datamonitor pharmaceutical analyst Joanna Chertkow said: “We also see parallels between the emerging therapeutic vaccines industry and the history of the monoclonal antibodies industry. In the case of monoclonal antibodies, their eventual long-awaited success was driven by technology evolution.

“Now the industry has exceeded $10 billion in annual sales, and is expected to continue to grow rapidly to over $30 billion by 2010.”

She added: “Although the near-term prospects for therapeutic vaccines remain doubtful, with total sales not expected to surpass $500m in 2010, Datamonitor believes that technological evolution will ultimately enable therapeutic vaccines to make similar commercial breakthroughs after their initial disappointments.”

“With 12 therapeutic vaccines currently in Phase III or Phase II/III trials, the industry is reaching a critical point where regulatory success stories are desperately needed.?

The possible market for this kind of vaccine could be huge as therapeutic vaccines are medications that can induce a new immune response in the patient to treat a pre-existing condition. This means they could be used in the treatment of cancer and infectious disease such as HIV.

Currently 60 per cent of therapeutic vaccines in development are aimed at targeting cancer.

Datamonitor pharmaceutical analyst Joanna Chertkow said: “HIV and infectious disease projects are also relatively well-represented.

“In the early-stage pipeline greater interest is also starting to be shown in additional therapeutic areas, including nicotine addiction, and allergic, CNS and cardiovascular diseases.”

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