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Read the Factors That Are Changing the Antifungals Market Today Inside Advances in the Treatment of Serious Systemic Fungal Infections -- An Update

Posted on: Wednesday, 25 January 2006, 09:00 CST

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c31571) has announced the addition of Advances in the Treatment of Serious Systemic Fungal Infections -- An Update to their offering.

Opportunistic fungal infections are a major problem in immunocompromised patients. In recent years, the number of patients with severe immunosuppression has risen dramatically as a result of advances in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other conditions. Many strains of fungi are developing resistance to current drugs, especially fluconazole. As this public health problem reaches a crisis, the available drugs (polyenes, azoles, pyrimidines, and the emerging echinocandins) have become inadequate to meet the task. Only a few antifungals have received approval in the United States, and these agents have notable limitations, including narrow spectrum of activity, toxicity (side effects), and emerging fungal resistance. The significant market opportunity for antifungal drugs has attracted many pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies to become involved in R&D.

This report gives an overview of opportunistic and endemic fungal pathogens, current therapies, and emerging strategies that aim to treat this growing patient population.

Business Implications

-- Many different types of fungi can cause serious systemic

infections in humans, and opportunistic fungal infections are

now recognized as a major problem in immunocompromised

patients. In recent years, the number of patients with severe

immunosuppression has increased dramatically as a result of

advances in the life-prolonging treatment of patients with

HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other conditions.

-- The first antifungal drug to be approved in the United States,

amphotericin B, received FDA approval in 1958. Despite its

toxicity problems, amphotericin B is still widely used to

treat fungal infections, and new formulations are in

development. Overall, the antifungal therapeutic market has

been stagnating since the introduction of caspofungin (Mercks

Cancidas) and voriconazole (Pfizers Vfend), both of which were

approved in the United States in 2001.

-- New azoles and echinocandins are in late-stage development,

and many companies have novel antifungals in early stages of

development that are based on a wide variety of approaches.

Additional research is ongoing to identify novel targets for

the treatment of fungal infections.

-- Other factors are changing the antifungals market. The

expiration of the patent for Pfizer's Diflucan (fluconazole)

and the emergence of generic versions will have an immediate

impact on the competitive landscape. Other influential trends

include the growing use of prophylactic and empirical

antifungal therapy, and a widening interest in the potential

for combination therapy. We anticipate significant changes in

the antifungal therapy market over the next few years.

Contents Include:-

Introduction

Overview of Common Opportunistic and Endemic Fungal Pathogens

Current Therapies for Systemic Fungal Infections

Select Emerging Antifungal Therapies and Strategies

Prospects for Antifungal Therapies

List of Tables:

Table 1. Select Fungi That Can Cause Serious Systemic Fungal Infections

Table 2. Select Antifungal Drugs for the Treatment of Systemic Fungal Infections

Table 3. Select Companies with Antifungals in Clinical Development

Table 4. Select Companies with Antifungals in Preclinical Development

Table 5. Estimated Worldwide Sales of Antifungal Products, 2003 and 2008 (millions of U.S. dollars)

Companies Mentioned:

- Ace BioSciences and Genmab - Biodelivery Sciences International - Diversa - Ecopia BioSciences - Elitra Pharmaceuticals - Entomed - Enzonb/Zeneus Pharma - Fujisawaa - Genelabs Technologies - Helix BioMedix - Immtech International - Inhibitex - InterMune Pharmaceuticals - Janssen Pharmaceutica - Janssen Pharmaceutica - Merck & Co. - MycoLogics - Paratek Pharmaceuticals - Pfizer - Pfizer - Schering-Plough - Valeant Pharmaceuticals - Vicuron Pharmaceuticals

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c31571 Decision Resources

Source: Business Wire

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