Market Insights
This report on the global peptide therapeutics market studies various types of applications, delivery routes, technology, and geography. The advantages of using peptide-based molecules for treatment comprise low toxicity, excellent target specificity, high potency, good tolerance, and a low incidence of side effects.
The disadvantages of peptide therapeutics are associated with their lack of oral bioavailability due to poor absorption across membranes, imposing parenteral injection as the normal mode of administration, which leads to patient inconvenience and discomfort, and non-compliance.
Small biotech companies appear to be focusing on a single product or technology in the competitive scenario of the peptide therapeutics market, whereas large pharmaceutical companies have a diverse portfolio based on therapeutic areas and place a strong emphasis on collaborations, mergers, acquisitions (M&A), and licensing.
For the purpose of this study, the various types of applications considered are cancer, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, central nervous system disorders, respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, renal disorders, and others (pain management, dermatological disorders, and hematological disorders).
Market size estimates and forecasts for these segments for the period 2014–2024 are provided in terms of USD million, along with the respective CAGRs for the period 2016–2024, considering 2015 as the base year.
The market is segmented on the basis of types of delivery routes and comprises sub-segments such as the oral route, parenteral route, pulmonary route, mucosal route, and other routes (intradermal and nasal). Market size estimates and forecasts for these segments for the period 2014–2024 are provided in terms of USD million along with the respective CAGRs for the period 2016–2024, considering 2015 as the base year.
The market is segmented on the types of technology and includes sub-segments such as solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), liquid-phase peptide synthesis (LPPS), and hybrid-phase peptide synthesis (HPPS). Market size estimates and forecasts for these segments for the period 2014–2024 are provided in terms of USD million, along with the respective CAGRs for the period 2016–2024, considering 2015 as the base year.
The geographic segmentation of the global peptide therapeutics market includes regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. The regions are also further sub-segmented on the basis of major countries. Market size estimates and forecasts for these segments for the period 2014–2024 are provided in terms of USD million, along with the respective CAGRs for the period 2016–2024, considering 2015 as the base year.
The key players covered in the peptide therapeutics market are Amgen Inc., Amylin Pharmaceuticals LLC (Bristol-Myers Squibb), AstraZeneca plc, Bachem Holding AG, Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Ipsen, Lonza, Inc., Merck & Co., Novartis AG, Novo- Nordisk A/S, Peptisyntha, PolyPeptide Group,
Based on the type of technology, the peptide therapeutics market is segmented into:
- Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis (SPPS)
- Liquid Phase Peptide Synthesis (LPPS)
- Hybrid Phase Peptide Synthesis (HPPS)
In 2015, solid-phase peptide synthesis accounted for the largest market share due to the introduction of novel products equipped with SPPS, especially those focusing on the oral route of drug delivery. Some of the examples, such as initially Unigene and then Entries Biopharma, developed a technology named Peptelligence that is based on an enteric-coated tablet whose core formulation contains, in addition to the peptide, an organic acid enzyme inhibitor and a permeation enhancer that is claimed to help penetrate the mucus layer.
Merrion Pharmaceuticals is also developing the GIPET technology, which uses an enteric coating to protect the peptide in the acidic gastric medium and ensure peptide release in the small intestine. Thus, several other technologies have been undergoing clinical trials and are expected to enter the market in the near future. During the forecast period of 2016–2024, HPPS was observed as the fastest-growing segment due to its increasing adoption in peptide drug manufacturing.
The peptide market is growing much faster than that of small molecules and will make up an even larger proportion of the market in the future. Currently, there are over 100 approved peptide-based therapeutics on the market, with the majority being smaller than 20 amino acids. Compared with the typical small-molecule drugs that currently make up the majority of the pharmaceutical market, peptides and proteins can be highly selective as they have multiple points of contact with their target.
Based on the type of delivery route, the peptide therapeutics market is segmented into:
- Oral Route
- Parenteral Route
- Pulmonary Route
- Mucosal Route
- Alternative Routes (Intradermal and Nasal)
These peptide and protein therapeutics have disadvantages as well, such as low bioavailability and metabolic liability. The oral bioavailability of peptides is limited by degradation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as well as their inability to cross the epithelial barrier. These therapeutics tend to have high molecular weights, low lipophilicity, and charged functional groups that hamper their absorption. Thus, routes that were of minor importance as parts of drug delivery in the past have assumed added importance in protein and delivery, and these include nasal, ophthalmic, buccal, rectal, intrauterine, vaginal, transdermal, and pulmonary routes.
The oral, nasal, and pulmonary routes have been the primary non-invasive routes of protein delivery investigated in research in this field, despite the observation that the bioavailability of the peptides and proteins has been proven to be very low in most of the non-invasive routes tested. The research and development experts in this field suggested that peptides and proteins are swiftly metabolized in the GI tract and that the hydrophilic nature of most natural peptides constrains movement across the epithelial barrier. Developments in the oral delivery of proteins and peptides have been made by the use of absorption enhancers, enzyme inhibitors, and direct structural modification of the therapeutic.
Based on the types of applications, the peptide therapeutics market is segmented into:
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Metabolic Diseases
- Central nervous system disorders
- Respiratory Diseases
- Infectious Diseases
- Gastrointestinal Diseases
- Renal Disorders
- Others (Pain Management, Dermatological Disorders, and Hematological Disorders)
In 2015, the cancer segment accounted for the major market share due to the rising prevalence of cancers coupled with a high disease diagnosis rate, rising public awareness associated with peptide therapeutics, and developing overall healthcare infrastructure and supportive government policies. It was also discovered that most naturally occurring peptides are not directly suitable for use as convenient therapeutics due to factors such as intrinsic weaknesses, a short circulating plasma half-life, and poor chemical and physical stability. The key disease areas presently driving the therapeutic applications of peptide drugs are oncology and metabolic diseases.
The factors aiding the epidemic growth of metabolic diseases are both obesity and T2DM, and in the case of oncology, rising mortality and the need for chemotherapy replacement along with supportive cancer care. The application of peptide therapeutics in the treatment of diabetes and obesity is possibly the reason behind the largest share of North America in the global peptide drug market, with the Asia-Pacific region reflecting the largest growth. However, a current trend observed recently is the shifting focus of companies towards infectious diseases, inflammation, and pain management, where several peptides are undergoing clinical testing.
For the purpose of this study, the global peptide therapeutics market is categorized into three segments:
- North America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Latin America
- Middle East and Africa
North America was observed as the largest market in the peptide therapeutics industry due to factors such as high public awareness of therapeutic treatment developments, high acceptance of novel products and technologies from patients and medical practitioners, and high healthcare costs. The European peptide therapeutics market has also projected noticeable growth due to factors such as increasing research and development activities associated with peptide therapeutics and major mergers and acquisitions observed in the European peptide therapeutics industry.
In addition, the major factors that have fueled the research and development activity in the European peptide therapeutics industry are rising obesity cases and the high prevalence of cardiovascular disorders. In Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, other countries are at a nascent stage as compared to the more mature markets of North America and Europe. However, countries such as China, Australia, and New Zealand are anticipated to be the largest markets for peptide therapeutics and collectively accounted for 78.4% of the revenue share in 2015 of the total Asia-Pacific market (except Japan).