StockPhotoAstur/iStock via Getty Images The market for medicines to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in major markets is projected to more than surge to $1.28B in 2029 from $317M in 2019, representing a CAGR of 15%. The rise is due to several factors, according to a new report from GlobalData.
Based on interviews with key opinion leaders, chief among them are the need for disease-modifying therapies and the need to diagnose the disease earlier, which will both increase the treatment population and improve outcomes. "Early intervention results in prolonged treatment periods, further boosting revenue and finally improved patient outcomes enhance product reputation, driving demand and market share," GlobalData Healthcare Analyst Momna Ali noted . Currently, there are only six treatments for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
The latest to win approval was Biogen's ( NASDAQ: BIIB ) Qalsody (tofersen), approved in 2023. The drug, which was also developed with Ionis Pharmaceuticals ( NASDAQ: IONS ), brought in $5.9M in revenue in 2023.
The therapy costs $14,230 per dose. In April, the treatment market was hit with a setback after Amylyx Pharmaceuticals ( AMLX ) said it would pull its drug Relyvrio (sodium phenylbutyrate and taurursodiol) from the market after results from a phase 3 trial failed to benefit patients . However, there are several candidates in the pipeline that show promise.
Ali identified Ionis' ulefnersen as one of them. The candidate, an antisense med.
