Respiratory distress syndrome is also known as hyaline membrane disease, which is the most common respiratory disorder in preterm infants. The primary cause of respiratory distress syndrome is inadequate pulmonary surfactant. Symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome are shortness of breath, nasal flaring, and grunting. RDS is manifested immediately or after 4 hours of birth. The management of respiratory distress syndrome can be achieved by antenatal glucocorticoids, continuous positive air pressure (CPAP), positive end expiratory pressure, and surfactant replacement therapy. According to UCSF Medical Centre, RDS affects 40,000 infants each year in the U.S. and accounts for approximately 20% of neonatal deaths.

Global Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treatment Market - Drivers

There has been significant developments in the field of healthcare, which have created opportunities for respiratory distress syndrome market in the past decade. In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended surfactant replacement therapy for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome as an efficient treatment. According to National Organization of Rare Disease, respiratory distress syndrome can affect people of any age suffering from lung injury, Globally 306 persons are affected in 100,000 persons among age 75 – 80, Thus, rising prevalence of RDS with high mortality has boosted the market growth. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies are focusing on mergers and acquisitions which is expected to support global respiratory distress syndrome treatment market growth. For instance, in March 2020, Windtree Therapeutics, a biotechnological and medical device company, signed an agreement with Lee’s Pharmaceutical, in which Lee’s Pharmaceutical will provide project financing for AEROSURF, a lead product of Windtree Pharmaceutics.

Global Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treatment Market-Impact of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is closely associated with symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome. As patients suffering from respiratory distress are at severe risk of COVID-19 infection, doctors have to take efforts to classify patients according to their severity to treat them with ventilatory management or surfactant therapy. Therefore, due to this pandemic, there is significant increase in use of respiratory distress treatments such as surfactant therapy, oxygen therapy, and ventilation support for patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19. Thus, there is positive impact on respiratory distress syndrome treatment market due to this pandemic.

Global Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treatment Market - Restraints

Surfactant therapy is a treatment for respiratory distress, which has short term risks in patients such as bradycardia, hypoxemia during instillation, and may cause blockage in endotracheal tube. Moreover, surfactant used in therapy has very low microbiological stability. Furthermore, in oxygen therapy, patient discomfort is prominently observed and also higher cost of ventilation therapy is an out of pocket expense in middle economic countries. These factors are expected to restrain the global respiratory distress syndrome treatment market growth.

Global Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treatment Market - Regional Analysis

On the basis of region, the global respiratory distress syndrome treatment market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America holds dominant position in the respiratory distress syndrome treatment market due to higher patient population and high mortality rate due to respiratory distress. For instance, according to U.S National Library of Medicine, In 2017 the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome in the U.S. was 78.9 in 100,000 person. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies are focusing on research and development to deal with the higher incidence in the region. For instance, in 2018, ONY Biotech applied for aerosolized infasurf treatment protocol to U.S Food Drug Administration, which is in pivotal trial currently.

Moreover, in Europe, according to National Library of Medicine, in 2017 the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome was 17.9 in 100,000 person population. After North America, Europe is the second region with highest mortality due to respiratory distress syndrome. Moreover, Europe is also affected negatively due to COVID-19 pandemic, as coronavirus infection is accompanied with respiratory distress symptoms in severe cases. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies are focusing on research and development to find efficient dose regime against SARS-COVID- acute respiratory distress syndrome. For instance, in May 2020 Chiesi Farmaceutici S.P.A started clinical trial on Curosurf for treatment of SARS-COVID- acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Furthermore, Asia Pacific is expected to witness significant growth in the respiratory distress syndrome treatment market. Asia Pacific region is less aware about respiratory distress syndrome but the prevalence of respiratory distress syndrome is moderate. According National Library of Medicine, in 2017 incidence of respiratory distress syndrome in Asia Pacific was 3.04 in 100,000 person. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies are focusing on research and development to achieve growth in the global respiratory distress syndrome market. For instance, in 2018, JW pharmaceuticals, a South Korean company, started marketing ‘infasurf’, which is a drug treatment used for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

Global Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treatment Market - Competitive Landscape

Key players operating in the global respiratory distress syndrome treatment market include Chiesi Farmaceutici S.P.A, JW pharmaceuticals, Windtree Therapeutics, Inc, Ony Biotech Inc, AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Dey Laboratories Inc , and others.

Key Developments:

In January 2020, Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A began clinical trial study of administering surfactant (CUROSURF)in neonates, that will decrease the number of days that infant needs in breathing tube on mechanical ventilator suffering from respiratory distress syndrome
In April 2020, Citus Pharmaceutical Inc announced pre-IND submission to the U.S. Food Drug Administration under Coronavirus Treatment Accelerating Program for Novacite-cells therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome in COVID-19
In April 2020, Apeptico Forschung und Entwicklung GmbH and OPIS srl announced that the solnatide IMP was approved for patients suffering from COVID-19 accompanied with pulmonary permeability oedema and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) by the Italian Medicines Agency and the Ethics Committee of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani

Global Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treatment Market - Taxonomy

By Treatment Type
- Surfactant Replacement Therapy
- Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP)
- Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP)
- Antenatal Glucocorticoids
- Others
By Disease Type
- Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome
- By End User
- Ambulatory Surgical Centers
- Clinics
- Hospitals
By Region
- North America
- Latin America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Middle East
- Africa