Lifestyle drugs have been a much debated segment of therapeutics for the pharmaceutical industry primarily due to the issues surrounding their inclusion in drug payment plans and diversion of resources for their research. These drugs have been a point of contention also because of a lack of clarity in defining them. For the purpose of this report, lifestyle diseases have been defined to include a range of indications that affect an individual’s quality of life even though they may not be deemed a medical problem.

The market was led by the MDD therapeutic segment followed by hormonal contraceptives. The smallest indication among the lifestyle disorders was alcohol dependence. The overall market was $37.2bn but is forecast to decline, albeit with a low single digit CAGR over the 2008-14 period.

Lifestyle disorders are marked by slowed R&D process and limited investigational products though MDD reflects some differences to this scenario. Each of the therapeutic indication s considered in this report reflects a markedly different scenario that substantiates the investment case around them. For instance:

• In the antidepressants market , the older antidepressants such as tricyclic s and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, have given way to agents that target metabolism, storage and release neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine.

• In case of obesity, compounds with novel mechanisms of action such as GLP-1 pathway, monoamine transmission, PTP-1B receptor and melanin system, are being investigated.

• The hormonal contraceptives market is marked with little R&D that has led to gaps in contraceptive technology. The industry needs to invest in contraceptives with better side-effects profile to aid compliance.

• Growth of the erectile dysfunction market would be determined by the market dynamics ensuing between Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.

• In the smoking cessation market, growth prospects of the leading brands such as Pfizer’s Chantix, are likely to be determined by the market’s response to the black box label warnings on neuropsychiatric effects, introduced in July 2009.

Key features of this report

• Epidemiological analysis of the therapeutic segments and forecast prevalence over the period 2008-14

• Forecasts and analysis of the key products in the lifestyle disorders market over the period 2008-14, across major classes of treatments

• Overview of key events in the global lifestyle disorders market that have impacted treatment trends and sales potential.

• Strategic and growth analysis of leading pharmaceutical corporations based on sales focus by drug class, currently marketed products and R&D product portfolios

• Detailed analysis of the major classes of treatments across all the therapeutic segments analyzed in the report

• Detailed analysis of the clinically differentiated products in the lifestyle disorders market pipeline and sales forecast of key R&D pipeline products in the global lifestyle disorders market

Scope of this report

• Develop insights into patient potential with the report’s coverage of the therapy area and leading lifestyle disorders players today.

• Quickly understand how recent events are affecting the performance of major products and how leading players are confronting competitive challenges in the lifestyle disorders marketplace.

• Gain up-to-date market intelligence across the lifestyle disorders category and understand the major issues affecting key pharmaceutical marketers.

• Understand which drug classes have the greatest potential to drive lifestyle disorders franchise growth, and how pharmaceutical companies are attempting to capitalize these market opportunities.

• Compare the franchises of leading pharmaceutical marketers across key therapeutic classes and understand how market share of leading companies will evolve over the next six years.

Key Market Issues

• Reimbursement of lifestyle drugs replete with challenges

The reimbursement of lifestyle drugs is a much debated subject in most nations. This is primarily because most lifestyle disorders tend to be non-life threatening. One of the key drugs that brought into light the issues around reimbursement of lifestyle drugs has been Viagra, launched in 1998. Viagra’s launch raised concerns among governments and insurers about the budgetary implications of its reimbursement.

• The global contraceptives market – slowed R&D

Use of contraceptives has increased across different categories of women population and across geographies as well. However there is still need for further market penetration of contraceptives. The key concerns that women tend to have are the actual and perceived side effects of their use. From the industry front, there is little R&D in this therapeutic category that has led to gaps in contraceptive technology.

• CNS side-effects limiting the growth of smoking cessation products

Sanofi-Aventis terminated the development of its smoking cessation product Dianicline citing reasons that it was not differentiated adequately from Chantix. As the drug has the same mechanism of action as Chantix, the likely CNS side-effects made it less attractive. In July 2009, the FDA had added black box label warning on neuropsychiatric effects on Chantix and Zyban labels, which is likely to impede their growth over the forecast period.

Key findings from this report

• The R&D pipeline for lifestyle disorders shows a lot of variation across indications. For conditions such as MDD, there are several compounds under different investigational stages (both early and late) while indications such as alopecia reflect slowed R&D process.

• The antidepressants market R&D has been evolving and newer therapies have been emerging. The older antidepressants gave way to agents that target metabolism, storage and release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine. The newer antidepressants such as SSRIs and SNRIs have a much better safety and side effects profile and have taken precedence in the less severe depression market.

• The global contraceptives market presents opportunities for companies to invest in considering the little R&D in this therapeutic category that has led to gaps in contraceptive technology. There is much scope for the industry to invest in contraceptives with better side-effects profile to aid compliance.

• Three closely-watched obesity drugs are currently under development - Arena Pharmaceuticals’ lorcaserin, Vivus’ Qnexa and Orexigen Therapeutics ‘Contrave . With few drug options in the obesity market, any approval would mark the first new obesity drug to enter the market in ten years.

Key questions answered

• Which companies were the leading players in the lifestyle disorders therapy area in 2008?

• How have recent major launches from the key market players performed?

• Which companies will become the key players in the lifestyle disorders market over the period 2008-14?

• Which products will be impacted by generic competitors over the period 2008-14?

• Which pipeline products are expected to generate sustainable revenue growth?