CLUSTER HEADACHE MARKET ANALYSIS

Underdiagnosis of cluster headache cases can hamper the cluster headache market growth. Cluster headache is often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed, which delays appropriate treatment. Cluster headache is known as the most painful headache condition but it remains heavily under-diagnosed. The attacks are comparatively short but occur frequently and at irregular intervals. This confusing pattern often leads to misdiagnosis of cluster headache as migraine or sinusitis. Furthermore, the attacks are severe enough to disable the patient temporarily, so these may not report to a doctor during every attack due to the excruciating pain. This abnormal rhythm of attacks can easily mislead physicians unaware of cluster headache. Moreover, cluster headache is much rarer than other headache conditions like migraine or tension headaches. General physicians and neurologists may not consider it in the differential diagnosis leading to wrong prescriptions.

Market Opportunities: Emergence of Biosimilars & Generics

The emergence of biosimilars and generic drugs can offer opportunities for cluster headache market growth. Biosimilars are biologic medical products that are highly similar to an already FDA-approved biologic drug (reference product). Given their comparable quality, safety and efficacy to the reference product, but at a lower cost, biosimilars allow more patients to access effective treatment options. As cluster headaches are relatively rare conditions requiring specialty medications, increasing biosimilar availability could make treatments more affordable and accessible to patients. Several blockbuster drug patents are set to expire in the next 2-3 years, opening pathways for generic versions. This includes notable cluster headache drugs like erenumab and galcanezumab, monoclonal antibodies targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide. When the patents expire, multiple generic manufacturers can produce lower-cost alternatives, generating market competition. According to the World Health Organization,  the introduction of generic medicines in global markets led to a total saving of over US$ 1.5 trillion in global health expenditure between 2000 to 2016. As generics capture a larger market share post-patent expiry, these have the potential to significantly reduce medication costs for patients as well as whole health systems.