Treatments worth investing in
Market Size & Opportunity
Autoimmune diseases affect millions of people worldwide. Given the substantial patient population in need of treatment, there exists a significant market opportunity with the potential to generate substantial revenue.
Current treatments for autoimmune diseases are firmly established, such as the use of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) biologics; however, significant resources are still being allocated toward discovering alternative drugs for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis, due to the high percentage of patients who do not have a positive response to existing treatment methods.
In 2023, three of the top 10 globally acclaimed drugs on the market targeted autoimmune diseases, most notably, rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
These three drugs alone amounted to approximately US$36.9 billion in global sales.
New Drug Development
A major issue with the use of biologic drugs is that the body eventually compensates, such that the treatment is no longer effective, hence new drugs are required.
While current on-market biologics can induce effective clinical and quality of life improvements, up to one third of patients are not responsive to treatment due to the adaptability of the immune system , as well as be susceptible to considerable side effects, such as increased risk of serious infection and malignancy.
This represents a medical problem and a commercial opportunity. For example, if a patient can continue with a biological drug for five years, there is a continual need for new drugs to supplant the existing drug over the remaining lifespan of the patient – typically somewhere between 20 and 40 years.
Autoimmune Diseases
The immune system is the body’s defence against bacteria, viruses and foreign substances. Autoimmune disease occurs when the body’s own immune system wrongly attacks its own healthy tissues and organs.
Examples of autoimmune diseases we are aiming to treat include:
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – Perhaps the best known and most prevalent autoimmune disease. In RA, the immune system attacks the lining of the joints and causes inflammation, typically resulting in pain, reduced mobility and loss of dexterity. The condition is chronic, debilitating and progressive.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – IBD is an inflammatory disease of the GI tract which results in severe diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss and potentially life-threatening complications. Types of IBD include ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.