Global majors Roche, sanofi-aventis, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Schering Plough and Eli Lily have been the key players in the oncology drugs market primarily because of novel drugs for various indications, and better efficacy profiles. Some of the most popular cancer drugs are MabThera, Avastin, Herceptin, Pegasys and Tarceva.
In India, Eli Lily and Merck have already introduced Alimta, for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare type of cancer and Erbitux, from Merck Specialties which is a first-in-class, gold standard new targeted cancer therapy drug for the treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Some of the focus areas by companies across the world are drug development in colorectal cancer, breast and ovarian cancer, stated a panel of cancer drug scientists from the National Centre for Biological Sciences.
According to a section of pharma consultants in the country, oncology is a key focus area of drug manufacturers across the globe and in India too there are companies entering the fray. While Biocon is already in the market with its oncology drug, Sun Pharma, Nicholas Piramal, Dr Reddy's and Dabur and AstraZeneca are already here with a slew of drugs. Strides Arcolab has already started construction of its oncology facility in Bangalore in November last year.
"Innovation is the basic driving force in the cancer market, which creates ample opportunities for biotech and pharma companies to launch new products and benefit from high volume sales and achieve a solid competitive position", stated Dr Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairman and managing director, Biocon Ltd which is known for India's first monoclonal antibody brand for head and neck cancer called 'BIOMAB EGFR'.
In 2006, around 8.0 million people succumbed to cancer worldwide and an estimated 84 million people are expected to be affected within the next 10 years, said oncologists Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology.
Stress, mutations resulting from chemical carcinogens, production of excessive tissue that turns into a tumour, tobacco or alcohol-abuse and family history constitute the major reasons for cancer and this has led the cancer drug market across the world to register significant growth.
The global oncology drug market is $45 billion and growing at 17 per cent annually. By 2009, it is expected to touch $55 billion and a growth of 25 percent. The present size of the Indian cancer drug market is Rs 800 crore and this is expected to treble by 2010, stated a Nicholas Piramal official.
Around three per cent of the Indian population suffers from some form of cancer. The most common among women are breast and ovarian. Among men it is oral, prostrate and lung. Under the category of common cancers, oral cavity, lung, oesophagus and stomach amongst men and cervix, breast and oral cavity amongst women are the categories, stated oncologists from the Bangalore Institute of Oncology.
In the area of diagnostics, several new options are being provided for quick and simple detection of cancer. There are many US FDA approved technology in diagnostics ready to enter in India but cost is a deterrent for patients here, said Vivek Trikha, head-diagnostics, OncQuest.
At the primary health centres, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology conducts regular cancer camps which have allowed to detect cases early and this has resulted in providing quick relief to patients, stated Dr P Bapsy, medical director, KMIO.
Not only that there are many national and state government schemes to ensure that cancer diagnosis and treatment are available for patients at their doorstep, stated KMIO doctors.