Market Size

The market for RA drugs in the seven major pharmaceutical markets (US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK and Japan) amounted to approximately USD 3 bn in 2002. Biological agents (Enbrel, Remicade, Humira and Kineret) represented the largest therapeutic class with total sales in 2002 amounting to approximately USD 2 bn. Non-biological DMARDs (methotrexate, Arava, sulfasalazine and Hydroxychloroquine) and NSAIDs (Voltaren, Ibuprofen and Naproxen) sales in 2002 amounted to USD 450 million and USD 150 million respectively.

The most frequently prescribed drugs in the treatment of RA are the DMARDs methotrexate and Arava and the biological agents Enbrel and Humira. Even though RA therapies have improved substantially over the last years the disease cannot be controlled by any of the therapies approved to date.