According to the latest research report released by Technavio, the global heparin market will likely reach over USD 5 billion by 2020.
This report titled “Global Heparin Market 2016-2020”, provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging trends. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated from the sales of branded and generics used to treat disorders.
The use of heparin may lead to bleeding, which could be managed using protamine, an antidote for heparin-related bleeding. However, protamine was found to have side effects such as hypertension and decreased heart rate. Hence, extensive research was done to develop agents with lesser side-effects. This led to the development of universal heparin reversal agents (UHRAs) by researchers of The University of British Columbia, Canada. These are synthetic dendritic polymers, which neutralizes anticoagulant effects, said Barath Palada, one of Technavios lead industry analysts for healthcare and life sciences.
Teva Pharmaceuticals launched the argatroban injection to treat blood clots in patients who have developed antibodies to heparin or heparin-like products. The use of these antidotes will minimize the side effects associated with heparin drugs, which is expected to help in the growth of the heparin market. Thus, the development of these anticoagulant antidotes is expected to set a trend in the market over the forecast period, added Barath.
Some of the other driving forces behind the growth of the global heparin market are as follows:
- Growing prevalence of diseases
- Increase in supply chains of crude heparin
- Reintroduction of bovine heparin by U.S. FDA
Growing Prevalence of Diseases
The prevalence of cardiovascular disorders, kidney disorders, strokes, and inflammatory conditions are increasing because of the rise in unhealthy lifestyles, including lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking. In 2012, around 17.5 million people died from cardiovascular diseases, which represents 31 percent of all the deaths globally. It is also reported that this number is expected to increase to 23.3 million by 2030. These diseases are commonly associated with a condition called thrombosis, where blood clots form in the blood vessels. This can lead to embolus, where the clot can break free and travel through the vessels obstructing the normal flow of blood. This is treated with the use of anticoagulants. Also, there has been an increase in the number of surgeries for various diseases, which increases the risk of developing DVT. Thus, the increase in the prevalence of these diseases will propel market growth during the forecast period.
Increase in Supply Chains of Crude Heparin
Over 80 percent of the global crude heparin market is controlled by China. Manufacturers of drugs have to depend solely on these suppliers of crude heparin, creating supply chain problems. In addition, the adulteration of heparin with OSCS, which resulted in deaths in 2008, has led to a decline in the demand for heparin from China. However, in November 2014, Pharma Action started a factory that produces raw heparin in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany. The factory received licensing from German authorities to produce crude heparin in May 2015, and it is expected to process around 60 percent of the drug’s requirement in Europe. Thus, the introduction of new supply chains for pharma companies producing heparin products will help in the growth of the market.
Reintroduction of Bovine Heparin by FDA
Bovine heparin was removed from the U.S. market in the late 1990s because of concerns about adulteration by a BSE agent. Cases of BSE were first reported in the UK and later in other regions. This led to the voluntary withdrawal of bovine heparin from the market. However, the shortage of porcine heparin because of the decreased swine population, and also due to the problems that arose by its contamination with OSCS in 2008, led to the reconsideration by the U.S. FDA for the reintroduction of bovine heparin in the market. This will help in increasing the amount of crude heparin in the market, leading to the growth of the market.
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Filed Under: Drug Discovery
