Market for VEGF inhibitors to multiply ten-fold by 2009

The use of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors in the treatment of cancer is to increase by ten times in four years, according to a report from Decision Resources.

The treatment inhibits VEGF, which has a major role in the formation and maintenance of tumour blood vessels. Currently, only one VEGF inhibitor – Roche and Genetech’s Avastin – is on the market.

However, Decision Resources said that the single drug will make up much of the increase in sales in VEGF inhibitors between 2005 and 2009. Sales of the drugs, worth $550 million (?320 million) in 2005, are predicted to climb to $5.3 billion (?3 billion) in 2009.

“In addition to Avastin’s market expansion in the US, Europe and Japan for treating metastatic colorectal cancer, the market will also be driven by the launch of Avastin for treating other cancers and the launch of new small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors of the VEGF receptors,” said Mohamed Muhsin of Decision Resources.

He added that new drugs will also help boost the sector, including Bayer and Onyx Pharmaceuticals’ sorafenib and Pfizer’s sutent for the treatment of refractory renal cell carcinoma and Schering and Novartis’ colorectal cancer drug vatalanib.

Decision said that potential exists for VEGF to be combined with other treatments which offer better side effect profiles.

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