GlobalData expects IPF market to more than treble to $3.2bn by 2025

The growth, which represents a compound annual growth rate of 13.6%, will take place in the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and Japan, the seven major markets (7MM).

According to the company’s report, the growth will primarily be driven by the increased use of expensive therapies and a rise in diagnosed prevalent cases of the disease.

GlobalData analyst covering immunology Matthew Thaxter said: "Currently, the IPF market is largely under-penetrated, with only two approved treatments across the 7MM.

"However, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly starting to view the IPF drug market as one with commercial potential.

"IPF has an attractive patient population size, with almost 108,000 diagnosed prevalent cases in the 7MM, and the opportunity to attain orphan drug status, potentially allowing a faster and more cost-efficient research and development program."

The level of unmet needs within the indication remains high as the IPF market has so far been largely neglected.

The lack of an efficacious therapy that can stop the progression of the disease is the primary unmet.

Thaxter said the two currently approved products, Roche’s Esbriet and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ofev, does not have the capacity to meet this particular unmet need, as they serve merely to slow the decline in patients’ lung function.

New phase II drugs are expected to be developed and approved over the forecast period to 2025, and the IPF market is estimated to increase because of the enhancements offered by them.

Pharmaceutical firms and other industry stakeholders will work on increasing the awareness of IPF among patients and physicians alike, in order to enhance diagnosis and treatment rates.

"Excitingly, following the approvals of FibroGen’s FG-3019 and Promedior’s PRM-151 into the IPF therapeutic market, anticipated in 2021 and 2023, respectively, the unmet need for a therapy that can reverse or stabilize fibrosis will have been met," Thaxter concluded.