Leishmaniasis Treatment Market Propelled by Effective Treatments

Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that is caused by Leishmania parasites. It is associated with severe morbidity and mortality if left untreated. The disease leads to skin lesions and, in some cases, involves soft tissues underneath the skin. Currently, there are few treatment options available for leishmaniasis such as pentavalent antimonials, miltefosine, paromomycin, and amphotericin B. The need for new and safer therapies is fueling the demand for advanced treatment options.

The global Leishmaniasis Treatment Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 69.4 Mn in 2023 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 22% over the forecast period 2023 to 2030, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.

Market Dynamics
Growing Prevalence of the Disease
The growth of the global leishmaniasis treatment market is majorly driven by the increasing prevalence of leishmaniasis globally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), leishmaniasis is endemic in approximately 98 countries across the world. It is estimated that 1.3 million new cases occur annually worldwide, with approximately 700,000 to 1 million new cases of visceral leishmaniasis and 2 million to 4 million new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis. The rising disease incidence is prompting pharmaceutical companies to develop novel treatment options, thereby propelling market growth.

Lack of Effective Drugs
Currently, the available treatment options for leishmaniasis have several limitations such as toxicity, requirement of prolonged treatment duration, development of drug resistance, and variable efficacy against different Leishmania species and clinical manifestations of the disease. This highlights the need for new drugs with improved safety, efficacy, and shorter duration of treatment. The growing need for superior therapeutic options is fueling research and development activities in this field.

SWOT Analysis
Strength: The leishmaniasis treatment market has high unmet needs as existing drugs have adverse side effects and long treatment duration. Manufacturers are focused on developing safe and effective drugs with short treatment duration. Furthermore, rising government support for developing novel drugs through funding and grants is expected to drive the growth.
Weakness: High costs associated with drug development and clinical trials are major challenges faced by manufacturers. Achieving regulatory approvals is a lengthy and expensive process. Lack of effective surveillance and diagnostic infrastructure in endemic areas hinders accurate disease diagnosis and management.
Opportunity: Growing leishmaniasis disease prevalence globally due to rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns has increased the potential patient pool. Developing combination therapies and drugs with new mechanisms of action presents an opportunity to address drawbacks of existing treatments. Partnerships between private and public entities can help expand access to diagnosis and treatment in endemic regions.
Threats: Stringent regulatory pathways for approval of leishmaniasis drugs increase clinical trial risks and costs for manufacturers. Patent expiries of major drugs result in revenue losses. Environmental factors influencing the spread of disease vectors pose challenges for effective disease control.

Key Takeaways

The Global Leishmaniasis Treatment Market Size is expected to witness high growth over the forecast period. The rising prevalence of leishmaniasis disease globally due to climate change is a major driver. According to estimates, there were 1.5 to 2 million new cases of leishmaniasis reported annually worldwide indicating significant unmet needs.

Regional analysis indicates that South America accounts for the largest share currently due to high endemicity in Brazil and Peru. However, the Middle East and Africa region is expected to emerge as the fastest growing market between 2023-2030 supported by increasing prevalence in countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan. The Asia Pacific region also presents opportunities for treatment manufacturers attributed to a large patient population in India, Bangladesh and other Southeast Asian countries.

Key players operating in the leishmaniasis treatment market are Johnson & Johnson, Intrabio, Cyclo Therapeutics, Inc., Kempharm, Inc., Azafaros B.V., StrideBio. Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. They are focused on drug development through various clinical trial strategies. For instance, Sarepta Therapeutics is pursuing an antisense oligonucleotide approach while Cyclo Therapeutics is evaluating encapsulated nanoformulated drugs to address limitations of existing medications. Partnerships between private and public research institutes can potentially expedite development of effective and affordable treatments.