Market Trends of Sarcoma Drugs Industry
Immunotherapy is Expected to Register Significant Growth Over the Forecast Period
- Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses medications to help a person's immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. The segment is expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period due to the increasing number of clinical trials and the approval of immunotherapy drugs for sarcomas.
- Numerous clinical trials are being conducted to study the effectiveness of immunotherapy for different types of sarcomas, either independently or in combination with other treatments. Phase 1 of the trial was expected to be completed by January 2024. According to clinicaltrials.gov, as of January 2023, there are 44 active trials for immunotherapy for sarcomas, with the status of recruiting, active, not recruiting, and enrolling by invitation studies. Thus, the increasing number of clinical trials studying immunotherapy for treating sarcomas is expected to drive the growth of this segment.
- Furthermore, strategic initiatives taken by market players, such as product launches, approvals, and partnerships, are expected to boost the segment's growth. For instance, in December 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) approved atezolizumab or Tecentriq, manufactured by Roche's Genentech Inc., for adult and pediatric patients aged two years and older with unresectable or metastatic alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS). This cancer immunotherapy can reactivate the immune system, enabling it to identify cancer cells in the body. Such approvals of advanced immunotherapy drugs for sarcomas are expected to fuel the growth of the segment during the forecast period.
- In conclusion, the high number of clinical trials for immunotherapy and the increasing approvals of immunotherapy drugs are anticipated to propel the growth of this segment during the forecast period.
North America is Expected to Hold a Significant Market Share Over the Forecast Period
- North America is expected to hold a significant share of the sarcoma drugs market. This is primarily due to several factors, such as the high burden of sarcomas in the region, increasing research and development activities by market players to develop innovative sarcoma drugs, rising patient assistance programs, better healthcare infrastructure, and the strong presence of industry players.
- According to the American Cancer Society's 2024 update, about 13,590 new soft tissue sarcomas are expected to be diagnosed (7,700 in males and 5,890 in females). Thus, the high burden of sarcoma is expected to contribute to market growth.
- The growing approvals and launches of several drugs for sarcoma, as well as collaborations, are boosting segment growth. For instance, in February 2024, QBiotics Group Limited announced that the FDA had granted an orphan drug designation to the novel small molecule agent, tigilanol tailgate (Stelfonta), as a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of patients with soft tissue sarcoma.
- In December 2022, Genentech, a member of Roche Group, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tecentriq (atezolizumab) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged two years and older with unresectable or metastatic alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS). ASPS is a rare, insidious soft tissue sarcoma most common in younger people that is often advanced at diagnosis, can spread slowly but inexorably over decades, and often returns following surgery. This approval brings new hope for children, adults, and their families affected by advanced alveolar soft part sarcoma, who historically have had very limited treatment options.
- Therefore, the North American market for sarcoma drugs is expected to grow significantly due to the high burden of sarcomas and increasing R&D activities in the region, leading to the development of innovative sarcoma therapies.