OPIOID INDUCED CONSTIPATION TREATMENT MARKET ANALYSIS

Opioids are medications that work on opioid receptors in order to generate morphine-like effects. These are mainly used therapeutically to relieve pain and are often abused by individuals addicted to them. Opioids comprises opiates, a conventional name that points to drugs that are derivatives of opium, including morphine. Constipation means bowel actions that are sporadic or hard to go by. The fecal matter is often dry and hard. Some of the other symptoms include bloating, abdominal pain, and feeling the same as if the person has not passed bowels completely. Difficulties from constipation include anal fissure, fecal impaction, or hemorrhoids. Opioid-induced constipation is one of the most prevalent adverse effects connected with long-time use of opioids, which have a detrimental impact on the quality of life of the individual. The emblematic symptoms related to opioid-induced constipation are feeling hard and dry stools, distention and bulged abdomen, lethargy, loss of appetite, and painful defecation. Increasing consumption of opioids for myriad maladies is in turn leading to increasing prevalence of opioid-induced constipation, consequently fueling growth of the opioid induced constipation treatment market. The fresh approval of medicines for treatment of opioid-induced constipation has led to the emergence of various therapeutic approaches.

According to a report by National Center for Biotechnology Information, chronic pain is a persistent pain that lingers for 3 months or more. The occurrence of chronic pain in the population is 10–15%. In individuals with chronic non-cancer pain, the commonness of opioid induced constipation varies from 41% to 81%. The common sign for opioid use in non-cancer pain is muskoskeletal pain such as degenerative joint disease, headache back pain, and fibromyalgia. In the current scenario, around 4% of adults in the U.S. undergo chronic opioid therapy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) projected that excessive and unregulated prescription of opioids by healthcare providers is one of the key reasons for opioid-related overdoses. Around 90% of individuals suffering from moderate to severe pain are prescribed opioids.

Opioid induced constipation treatment market Taxonomy

On the basis of method of administration, the global market is classified into:

• Subcutaneous Injection
• Oral

On the basis of drug, the global market is classified into:

• Lubiprostone
• Naloxegol
• Docusate Sodium
• Methylnaltrexone Bromide
• Others 

On the basis of distribution channel, the global opioid induced constipation market is classified into:

• Hospital Pharmacies
• Independent Pharmacies
• Others

Rising number of patients using illegal medicines and deferred use of opioids in the therapy of chronic pain are some of the key factors driving growth of the opioid induced constipation (OIC) treatment market. Moreover, it has been observed that the untapped market for advantageous, successful and safe therapeutic solutions in OIC drug is extensive and developing at a fast pace, especially in developed regions.

Increasing prevalence of opioid induced constipation and increase in chronic non-cancer pain to drive growth of overall opioid induced constipation treatment market

Prevalence of opioid induced constipation is rising considerably. According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM), around 100 million patients in the U.S. suffered from opioid induced constipation in 2013. Furthermore, AAPM also estimated that the number of occurrences would rise, owing to the increase in the number of individuals taking opioid drugs. There is a growing responsiveness towards the availability of a large array of opioid drugs. This will encourage the patients to resort to using these drugs to treat chronic pains. The rising number of opioid induced constipation patients, particularly in the North America region is likely to drive the growth of the overall opioid induced constipation treatment industry. The regional market is projected to grow at a considerable rate due to the presence of large number of people who use opioid drugs. This is owing to high prevalence of disease associated with chronic pain in this region.

Some of the major companies operating in the opioid induced constipation treatment market in the current scenario are Daewoong Co. Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cosmo Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca plc, Abbott Laboratories, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, C.B. Fleet Company, Inc., and Bayer AG.

Key Developments

1. Key players in the market are focused on various growth strategies such as gaining product approvals from regulatory authorities, in order to expand their product portfolio. For instance, in March 2017, Shionogi & Co., Ltd, received approval for Symproic (naldemedine) from the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).  Symproic will be used for patients suffering from opioid-induced constipation in adults.
2. Key players in the market are focused on various business strategies such as gaining product approvals from regulatory authorities, in order to expand their product portfolio. For instance, in December 2018, Shionogi BV, the European subsidiary of Shionogi & Co., Ltd, received approval for Symproic (naldemedine) from European Medicines Agency's (EMA's) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). Symproic is indicated for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in adults.
3. Major companies in the market are focused on various growth strategies such as merger and acquisition, in order gain competitive edge in the market. For instance, in December 2017, Mallinckrodt plc, a pharmaceutical company, acquired Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, which will include commercial and development assets. Under this acquisition, Mallinckrodt plc will get access to Sucampo’s commercial asset AMITIZA, which is an effective drug for opioid-induced constipation in adult patients.