The arthritis therapeutics market is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years, a new report predicts.

Research found that arthritis therapeutics are becoming a “gigantic attraction” for pharmaceutical companies as the condition continues to be one of the most common causes of disabilities.

Rising incidence rates of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis are expected to see revenues reach $35.8 billion by 2018.

Several major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies have already shown an interest in obtaining market share and have made investments in the potentially lucrative industry.

Pfizer, Amgen, Merck, Roche and Novartis, the report found, have increased R&D efforts in the field with several promising therapies in late-stage development.

The current pipeline includes many small molecule drugs and biologic therapies, as well as novel oral Disease-Modifying Anti-rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs).

Biologics, the report predicts, will feature heavily as the market expands and drive growth during the coming years.

Existing market leaders are also expected to benefit from the predicted demand.

Amgen’s patent on blockbuster drug Enbrel was recently extended until 2028 by the FDA following a number of court proceedings. Other well-established brands have also had their protection protected.

However, the patents for Rituxan (rituximab), Remicade (infliximab), Celebrex (celecoxib) and Humira (adalimumab) will see a number of generic alternatives enter the market.

Despite cheaper therapeutic products being made available, the report estimates the market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% for the next six years.

NICE has approved the first new class of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in over ten years.

Roche’s RoActemra (tocilizumab) is recommended for treatment of RA where standard treatment with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) has failed.

The approval offers a new therapy option to thousands of patients suffering from this painful and disabling condition.

RoActemra, which can be used alone or with methotrexate (the most commonly used DMARD), is the first licensed Interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor antagonist.

The combination of methotrexate and RoActemra offers a clinical remission rate at one year of 47%, compared with 8% for methotrexate alone.

Until now, the only therapy option when DMARDs failed was anti-tumour necrosis factor inhibitors, which offer a clinical remission rate of 19%.

John Isaacs, Professor of Clinical Rheumatology at the Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, said: “IL-6 receptor inhibition is an innovative and highly effective approach to the treatment of RA and NICE’s decision to recommend RoActemra in this setting provides an important addition to the armoury of treatments needed to combat the condition.

“RA is an unrelenting disease and it is vital that patients have options available to them when they are no longer responding to, or can no longer tolerate, their current treatment.”

“We are delighted with NICE’s decision, as there are so many patients with rheumatoid arthritis in need of tighter disease management,” commented Ailsa Bosworth, Chief Executive of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.

“We are very supportive of more aggressive implementation of NICE RA Guidelines and treat to target strategies which, with earlier referral and diagnosis, are more likely to enable patients to reach remission or low disease activity.”

Roche’s RoActemra (tocilizumab) has been provisionally recommended in draft guidance to treat additional stages of rheumatoid arthritis after a rapid review of an earlier appraisal.

RoActemra was originally recommended at a later stage of the treatment pathway, but NICE has now issued new guidance of TA198 fter Roche agreed a Patient Access Scheme with the DH.

Professor Carole Longson, Director of the Health Technology Evaluation Centre at NICE, says the provisional guidance widens the choice of treatments for patients.

A rapid review can be conducted by NICE if a new Patient Access Scheme is submitted within 16 weeks of original guidance publication. However, these schemes can only be considered by NICE after ministerial approval and confirmation by the DH.

In August 2010, NICE issued guidance TA198 recommending RoActemra as an option if there had been an inadequate response to one or more TNF inhibitors and where rituximab has also produced an inadequate response, or where it is contraindicated or has produced undesirable side effects.

The new draft guidance outlines that in specific clinical circumstances – and within the terms of the Patient Access Scheme – it’s recommended where the disease has responded inadequately to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and the medication is used as described for other TNF inhibitor treatments in NICE guidance TA130.

The updated guidance also includes using the treatment as originally recommended after both rituximab and TNF inhibitors were tried, and a recommendation on using tocilizumab when rituximab can’t be used after TNF inhibitor treatment has failed.

“If TNF inhibitor treatments have failed and patients are unable to take rituximab, the guidance also provisionally recommends that tocilizumab could be a treatment option at this point, potentially widening the choice of treatments available,” said Professor Longson.

RoActemra was previously approved in Europe in August and the US in April 2011 for the treatment of childhood arthritis.