As a first-line therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, the global inhalation market is showing a thriving trend.
From the perspective of market size, the compound growth rate of global inhalation product sales from 2018 to 2023 was 2.68%; In 2023, sales increased by 6.17% year-on-year, approaching 350 billion yuan.
The overall market size of inhalation preparations in China is showing a rapid growth trend, with a compound sales growth rate of 7.62% from 2018 to 2023; In 2023, the sales revenue exceeded 15 billion yuan, which is about 4% of the global scale. It is expected that the market size will continue to maintain high-speed growth in the future.
Facing the billion dollar blue ocean market for inhaled formulations in China, which domestic pharmaceutical companies are launching a charge?
Compared with regular oral preparations, inhaled preparations have the advantage of allowing drugs to directly enter the lungs, taking effect quickly, avoiding first pass effects, and reducing dosage; Compared to injections, oral inhalation of formulations can improve patient compliance and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions.
Therefore, inhalation therapy is recommended as a first-line therapy by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD), the Global Initiative for the Prevention and Treatment of Bronchial Asthma (GINA), and Chinese guidelines.
Inhalation preparation is a combination of medication prescription and nebulization device, which can be divided into inhalation powder mist, inhalation aerosol, inhalation nebulized liquid preparation, and soft mist according to dosage form/device type. According to pharmacological mechanisms, it can be divided into bronchodilators, glucocorticoids, and compound preparations (bronchodilators and glucocorticoids).
According to research, the global market size of inhaled preparations is generally showing an increasing trend, with a compound sales growth rate of 2.68% from 2018 to 2023; In 2023, sales increased by 6.17% year-on-year, approaching 350 billion yuan.
The overall market size of inhalation preparations in China is showing a rapid growth trend, with a compound sales growth rate of 7.62% from 2018 to 2023; In 2023, sales increased by 7.69% year-on-year, exceeding 15 billion yuan (approximately 4% of the global scale, and it is expected that the market size will continue to maintain high-speed growth in the future).
According to research, the global sales of inhaled formulations are divided by dosage form. The market share of dry powder inhalers (inhaled powder aerosols) is about 47%, with a stable proportion of sales, followed by inhaled aerosols and inhaled nebulized liquid formulations.
The Chinese market is mainly dominated by inhalation nebulized liquid formulations (60% -70%), with a market share of about 30% for dry powder inhalers.
According to research, the global sales of inhaled preparations are almost monopolized by indications, with anti asthma and COPD drugs accounting for nearly 95% of the market share. Other indications include anti infective drugs (respiratory), medication for pulmonary arterial hypertension, and diagnostic testing/influencing medication.
In China, respiratory system drugs are almost monopolized in inhalation preparations, with a combined market share of over 90% for anti asthma/COPD drugs and cough and phlegm relieving cold drugs, and a market share of 6% -7% for pulmonary surfactants.
According to research, in terms of global sales of inhaled formulations, Budesonide/Fomotro has the highest proportion in terms of active ingredients, followed by Fluticasone Furoate/Umepronium Bromide/Vilanterol, with sales ranking second and growing rapidly. Fluticasone/Salmoterol has experienced a severe decline.
Among inhaled preparations in China, budesonide ranks first but its sales and proportion have declined significantly. Acetylcysteine, as an aerosol expectorant, has seen rapid growth in sales and proportion in recent years. Compound formulations have shown better symptom improvement ability than monotherapy in COPD and asthma indications, and in recent years, FDA approved inhaled new drugs have mainly focused on compound products; However, currently in China, monotherapy is still the main method, and the market size of compound inhalation preparations is expected to gradually expand in the future.
