Pharmaceutical Technology Europe
The market for orally disintegrating and fast dissolving tablets could exceed revenues of $13 billion by 2015 based on upward global growth trends, according to a report from Technology Catalysts.
The market for orally disintegrating and fast dissolving tablets could exceed revenues of $13 billion by 2015 based on upward global growth trends, according to a report from Technology Catalysts. The report explains that ODTs and oral thin films (OTFs) have continued to expand as dysphagia, patient compliance and consumer convenience issues receive increased attention.
As a result, the combined EU, Japanese and US ODT market doubled in size during the past 4 years and exceeded $6 billion in 2009. Its market value has also been bolstered by the increase in generic competition. According to the report, there are now more than 450 available commercial OTC and prescription ODT products, partly thanks to the introduction of generic formulations and an increase in the number of generic manufacturers. Additionally, brand companies are also looking for new innovative and differentiating concepts.
New OTC OTFs are also being commercialized in the US to expand into markets such as pain management and motion sickness, which demand faster onset of action. More than 80 OTF brands have been launched in North America since 2003 and the market is well positioned for further growth.
“More importantly, prescription OTFs have now been approved in all three major regions (US, EU and Japan),” explains the report summary. “These approved Rx films, along with several key molecules in the OTF pipelines, have potential to canibalize other oral dosage forms of the same drugs.”