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Market Overview

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The global market for Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics had a value of USD 3.59 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 7.16 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.19% during the period from 2022 to 2028. This growth can be attributed to the increasing prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide, leading to heavy investments in therapeutic development by both government and non-government entities. Research and development (R&D) investments are expected to further drive the growth of the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market.

China had the highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in 2021, followed by the United States and Japan. The total number of cases in the eight major markets (8MM) is expected to increase from 29,460,996 in 2021 to 36,009,144 cases in 2028. The rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is a key driver of the global market for Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics. In the United States alone, approximately 900,000 new patients are diagnosed annually.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss, cognitive impairment, and functional decline. Sleep disturbances and forgetfulness are typically the initial symptoms in the early stages of the disease, while severe cases require constant monitoring by a home care professional or a family member. Given the rapidly increasing global prevalence, the international medical community has identified Alzheimer’s disease as a significant global health threat. Extensive efforts have been made to develop new treatments, as current pharmacological management only provides temporary symptom improvement. With a lack of therapies that effectively halt or reverse the progression of the disease, there is a substantial opportunity to develop effective pharmacological approaches within the global market for Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics.

The most significant known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease is advancing age, with the majority of affected individuals being 65 years and older. If the disease affects a person under 65, it is considered younger-onset or early-onset Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and affected approximately 5.8 million people in the United States in 2020, with the prevalence expected to double by 2050. Globally, an estimated 35 million people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease. In Europe, as of 2018, 9.7 million people have Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, a number projected to rise to 14 million by 2030. Japan has the highest total prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease, with 23.88% in women and 11.93% in men. The total number of prevalent cases in individuals aged 60 years and older is expected to increase from 4.2 million in 2022 to 5.1 million in 2028, representing an annual growth rate of 3.5%. The growing number of Alzheimer’s disease cases presents significant growth opportunities for the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market.

Various laboratory tests can diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, including assessments of memory impairment, thinking skills, functional abilities, and behavior changes. Commonly used brain-imaging technologies include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET).

Currently, the competitive landscape of Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics primarily consists of symptomatic treatments. There are seven approved medications, including three Cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine), one NMDA-R antagonist (memantine), one combination therapy (memantine/donepezil), and two Aβ A4 protein inhibitors (aducanumab and sodium oligomannate). Cholinesterase inhibitors are the main drugs available for Alzheimer’s disease due to the significant therapeutic target they address. Improvements to the approved therapies, such as easier administration routes and reduced dosing frequencies, along with anticipated developments in the next decade, can have a significant impact on disease management. Early detection could enhance the usefulness of currently available therapies, but until disease-modifying agents are introduced, the treatment landscape is unlikely to change significantly.

The Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market currently comprises over 151 assets in various development phases. Most industry-sponsored drugs in active clinical development for Alzheimer’s disease are in Phase II.

The clinical trial portfolio includes over 139 trials in different development phases, with the majority of industry-sponsored drugs in active clinical development for Alzheimer’s disease being in Phase II. The global pharmaceutical industry is steadily developing new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease, a central nervous system disorder. North America leads in terms of ongoing clinical trials involving Alzheimer’s disease, followed by Asia-Pacific and Europe. Eli Lilly and Company is the leading sponsor of ongoing Alzheimer’s disease-related clinical trials in the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market, with other notable sponsors including Eisai Co Ltd, Roche Ltd, Cognition Therapeutics Inc, and Cassava Sciences Inc.

In 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approved the biologic drug candidate Aducanumab (Aduhelm) for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease. With Aduhelm becoming the first approved biologic therapy for Alzheimer’s disease in 2021, there is a growing demand for biologic therapies with novel mechanisms of action. Many new classes of therapies are expected to enter the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market in the coming years. Biologics such as amyloid beta inhibitors are gaining traction in the Alzheimer’s disease market due to their improved clinical profiles and convenient patient dosing. The launch of approved small molecules and the increased adoption of biologic therapies will contribute to significant growth in the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market.

The Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market has been experiencing significant growth due to the rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease worldwide. In 2022, it was estimated that there were 6.5 million Alzheimer’s disease patients in the United States.

Major players in the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market are actively developing novel products and investing heavily in research and development. They are also engaged in major acquisitions and collaborations to gain a competitive advantage. High investments in R&D capabilities and infrastructure by both the industry and governments are expected to create lucrative opportunities in the market.

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Market Segmentation

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The market is segmented based on various factors, including drug class, gender type, age group, severity type, and geography.

Segmentation By Drug Class
ACE Inhibitors
NMDA Inhibitors
Other Drug class

Segmentation By Gender Type
Men
Women

Segmentation By Age Group
65-74 years
75-84 years
85 years & Above

Segmentation By Severity Type
Mild
Moderate
Severe

Segmentation by Geography
North America – US
Europe – Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain
APAC – China, Japan

Drug Class: ACE inhibitors are projected to hold a significant share in the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market by drug class. However, the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period is expected to be the other class of drugs. The recent approval of biologics like Aducanumab (Aduhelm) is anticipated to drive the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market in the coming years.

Gender Type: Women are expected to contribute significantly to the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market in terms of gender type. This dominance can be attributed to women’s longer life expectancy, which results in a larger population affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

Age Group: Among different age groups, the 85 years and above demographic is expected to dominate the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market. However, the fastest-growing segment during the study period is projected to be the population aged 65 years and above.

Severity Type: Individuals with mild forms of Alzheimer’s disease are expected to hold a significant share in the global therapeutics market. In 2021, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in the U.S. was reported to be 229,385, and this number is predicted to increase substantially during the forecast period. On the other hand, the fastest-growing segment is expected to be individuals with moderate forms of the disease.

Geographically, the United States holds a dominant position in the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market. This is attributed to factors such as increased affordability of healthcare, growing knowledge and awareness among the population, and technological advancements in the region. However, it is expected that China will experience faster growth with a high compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market. This can be attributed to the rising geriatric population, increased awareness about disease management, and growing healthcare expenditure in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

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Competitive Landscape

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The current competitive landscape in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) primarily consists of symptomatic treatments, with a total of seven approved medications currently available. The global market for Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics is predominantly led by various companies offering generic drugs, as well as selective pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies providing patented or commercially developed drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease. In 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for the amyloid beta antibody Aduhelm (Aducanumab), marking the introduction of biologic therapies in this treatment arena. While generic products continue to hold a significant share of the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market, the emergence of biologics and other targeted therapies signifies a notable shift in the therapeutic landscape throughout the projected period.

The global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market comprises over 151 assets in various stages of development. Emerging therapeutics being developed for Alzheimer’s Disease include Lecanemab, Nilotinib, Remternetug, NE-3107, Bepranemab, Vafidemstat, Seltorexant, and several others. The introduction of these novel emerging drugs is expected to revolutionize the paradigm of Alzheimer’s Disease therapeutics in the near future. With more than 151 molecules at different stages of development, it is anticipated that new market entrants will bring forth innovative mechanisms of action and improved safety and efficacy profiles compared to the existing patented commercial drugs for treating Alzheimer’s Disease.

Prominent players in the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market include Eisai Co., Ltd., Novartis, Biogen, AbbVie, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Shanghai Green Valley Pharmaceuticals. These companies pursue both organic and inorganic growth strategies to enhance their product portfolios. Strategies such as collaborations, acquisitions, geographical expansion, research and development investments, and the development of novel drugs are employed by these companies to compete in the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market. Other emerging players of significance in the global Alzheimer’s disease market include KeifeRx LLC, BioVie Inc, Eli Lilly and Company, UCB SA, Oryzon Genomics, Denali Therapeutics, and various others.

Key companies profiled in this report include Novartis AG, AbbVie Inc (AbbVie), Biogen Inc (Biogen), Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Eisai Co Ltd (Eisai), Green Valley Pharmaceuticals, UCB SA (UCB), KeifeRx, Eli Lilly and Co (Lilly), BioVie Inc, NeuroKine Therapeutics (NKT), LLC, Vaccinex, Inc., Alzinova AB, Asceneuron SA, Biohaven, Denali, Alzamend.

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Recent Industry Developments

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In April 2022, Biogen made an announcement stating that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had withdrawn the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for aducanumab, a treatment for early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. This decision was based on the insufficiency of data provided.

In March 2022, Corium, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had granted approval for Adlarity (donepezil transdermal system) as a treatment for patients with mild, moderate, or severe dementia caused by Alzheimer’s Disease.

In June 2021, Biogen revealed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had granted accelerated approval for Aduhelm (aducanumab-avwa) to treat early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. This approval was based on the results of two Phase 3 clinical trials—EMERGE (Study 1) and ENGAGE (Study 2)—conducted on patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, specifically those with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia, who exhibited confirmed amyloid pathology.

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Key Questions Answered

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What is the projected market size of the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market?

The projected market size for the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market is expected to reach USD 7.16 billion by 2028.

What is the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market?

The global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market is experiencing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.19% from 2022 to 2028.

What are some notable trends observed in the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market?

Prominent trends in the Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market include substantial investments in research and development (R&D) and the presence of key industry players.

Who are the leading vendors operating in the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market?

Novartis AG, AbbVie, Biogen, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), Eisai, Green Valley Pharmaceuticals, UCB SA (UCB), KeifeRx, Eli Lilly And Co, BioVie Inc, and NeuroKine Therapeutics are among the leading vendors operating in the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market.

Which region dominates the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market in terms of market share?

As of 2022, the United States holds the largest market share in the global Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics market.