Impact Analysis of Covid-19
The complete version of the Report will include the impact of the COVID-19, and anticipated change on the future outlook of the industry, by taking into the account the political, economic, social, and technological parameters.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Don’t Just Trust Your Gut
Irritable bowel syndrome is a gastrointestinal tract disorder characterized by abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. It hampers the natural movement of intestinal muscle linings to move food along the digestive tract. Depending on the symptoms, the syndrome is distinguished as mild and severe irritable bowel syndrome. These symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating and gas, mucus in the stool, constipation, and diarrhea. Exact cause of occurrence of irritable bowel syndrome is unknown though, it is associated with increased awareness of bodily functions, and abnormal gastrointestinal tract movements. Diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome is done by tests such as blood tests, stool tests, endoscopic procedures and external imaging procedures. Patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome may experience complications namely, deep ulcerations, infections, and malnutrition and bowel obstructions. Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome involves relieving the patient from the symptoms and improving the quality of life.
Robust pipeline with symptom specific indications and subsequent launches in the forecast period is expected to boost the market
According to International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, 2016, worldwide prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome is around 10-15%. Furthermore, there are between 2.4 and 3.5 million annual physician visits for IBS in the U.S. according to the same source. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, approximately one in five adults in the U.S. is suffering with irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome shows a wide range of symptoms, so, the treatment is decided on predominance of the symptoms such as, in pain predominant patients, antispasmodic agents or tricyclic antidepressants are used. The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome is predominant in female than in males. According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, 2 in 3 IBS sufferers are female. Some of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved drugs for relieving the symptoms associated with IBS are Lotronex (Alosetron), Amitiza (Lubiprostone), Linzess (Linclotide), and Xifaxan (Rifaximin).
The global irritable bowel syndrome treatment market was valued at US$ 726.1 million in 2016 and is expected to witness a robust CAGR of 12.9% over the forecast period (2017-2025).
Table 1. Irritable Bowel Syndrome Drugs Pipeline
Drug/ Candidate/Bacterial Strain |
Phase |
Blautix (Strain) |
Phase 1b |
Bekinda (IBS-D) |
Phase 2 |
SYN-010 |
Phase 2 |
Tenapanor |
Phase 3 |
Source: clincaltrials.gov
Increase in levels of stress and adoption of sedentary lifestyle is expected to increase the prevalence of lifestyle disorders namely irritable bowel syndrome
The number of available irritable bowel syndrome drugs has increased over the last few years and new drugs have been approved for the treatment. North America accounts for the largest share in the global irritable bowel syndrome treatment market, followed by Europe and Asia-pacific, respectively. According to an article published in the Brandon Gaille in 2017, on an average, junk food accounts for 28.8% of the total caloric intake of an American. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2015, it was estimated that 1.3% of U.S. adults i.e. 3 million were reported to being diagnosed with IBD. Consumption of unhealthy food in large quantities raises the bar of probability for IBS acting as a driving factor for the global market growth. Furthermore, the companies are indulged in development, distribution and marketing agreements of irritable bowel syndrome treatment drugs in selective countries such as Japan and China which is expected to drive the growth of the Asia-Pacific irritable bowel syndrome treatment market. For, instance, Sucampo Pharmaceutical, Inc. collaborated with Herbin Gloria Pharmaceuticals to commercialize its product in China in 2015.
Some major players operating in the irritable bowel syndrome treatment market are Abbott Laboratories, Synergy Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., Ardelyx, Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc., Novartis AG, GlaxoSmithKline plc., and Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc.