GBI Research, a pharmaceutical market expert, has released its report "Orphan Disease Therapeutics Market to 2018: Improved Understanding of Rare Diseases' Heterogeneity and Novel New Clinical Trial Designs to Foster Innovation,” which provides insights into the orphan disease therapeutics market until 2018.

The report, which is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis, shows that the relatively unsatisfied market for orphan disease drugs could prove to be a big hit for pharmaceutical companies able to improve upon the limited options currently available to patients. Patients suffering from orphan diseases can look forward to a wider range of drug options in the future.

GBI Research's analysis shows that the overall global orphan disease therapeutics market is expected to grow at a significant compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.1% from $2.3 billion 2010 to $6 billion in 2018 in the U.S., Japan and the top five countries of Europe.

Increasing awareness of the diseases and drugs among patients and physicians, patent protection and exclusivity of Nplate and Promacta for ITP market, anticipated launch of new molecules such as ACR-16, AMR-101 and HD-02 for the treatment of Huntington’s disease, and the approval of Avastin for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in Europe will drive the global orphan disease therapeutics market in the forecast period.

The report provides an in-depth analysis of Fabry, Pompe, Mucopolysaccharidosis VI, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Huntington's disease and ovarian cancer, and examines the global orphan diseases therapeutics treatment usage patterns, including geographical distribution across the U.S., the top five countries of Europe and in Japan. It provides competitive benchmarking for the leading companies and also analyzes the mergers, acquisitions and licensing agreements that shape the global markets.

The report also includes:

• Annualized market data for the orphan diseases therapeutics market from 2004 to 2010, forecast forward to 2018
• Analysis of the leading therapeutic segments
• Analysis of the orphan diseases therapeutics market in the leading geographies of the world, which include the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Japan
• Market characterization of the orphan diseases therapeutics market including market size, annual cost of therapy and treatment usage patterns
• Key drivers and barriers that have a significant impact on the market
• Coverage of pipeline molecules in various phases of drug development
• Competitive benchmarking of leading companies, including: Genzyme, Shire and Biomarin.
• Key M&A activities and licensing agreements that have taken place 2010-2011 in the global orphan diseases therapeutics market