EYLEA Drug Industry: An Overview
EYLEA, also known as Aflibercept, is a prescription drug used for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO), diabetic macular edema (DME), and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Bayer AG, EYLEA has transformed the treatment of several severe eye diseases and generated billions in revenue since its market approval in 2011. This article provides an overview of the global EYLEA drug market.
Role of EYLEA Drug Industry in Wet AMD Treatment
Wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) is a leading cause of blindness among elderly people in developed countries. It is caused by abnormal blood vessel growth beneath the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. These new, fragile blood vessels tend to leak fluid and blood, distorting vision.
Prior to the development of EYLEA and other anti-VEGF drugs, wet AMD treatment options were very limited. Laser photocoagulation could be used but only for a subset of patients and vision outcomes were generally poor. EYLEA Drug was the first drug approved by the FDA specifically for wet AMD based on clinical trials demonstrating its superior efficacy compared to previous standard of care, like ranibizumab (Lucentis).
EYLEA works by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), a protein that promotes the growth of abnormal blood vessels in wet AMD. By blocking VEGF-A, EYLEA is able to suppress new blood vessel formation and leakage, thereby stabilizing vision loss and improving vision in many patients. It offers patients an effective treatment that can be administered every 4-8 weeks via eye injections to control wet AMD.
Market Performance and Sales Trends
Since its FDA approval for wet AMD in 2011, EYLEA has emerged as the leading anti-VEGF drug in ophthalmology. It has captured a significant share of the wet AMD treatment market and also gained approval for additional severe eye conditions.
Global sales of EYLEA have grown rapidly since launch. In 2020, total revenues from EYLEA were estimated at $4.9 billion, with over 80% coming from wet AMD alone. The US market accounts for over half of worldwide sales. Sales continued climbing in subsequent years, reaching $6.1 billion globally in 2022 according to market reports.
Both the US and global EYLEA drug markets are projected to keep growing steadily in the next decade driven by an aging populationdemographics combined with the drug’s expanded label approvals. It is estimated that the worldwide EYLEA market could top $8-10 billion annually by 2030 as more patients receive treatment. The drug will also likely benefit from a lack of direct competition given its entrenched market position in major indications.
Expanding Use of EYLEA in Additional Eye Diseases
Beyond wet AMD, EYLEA has gained FDA approval for four additional severe retinal conditions based on successful clinical trials:
– Macular edema following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO): Approved in 2012 based on studies showing reduced edema and vision improvement compared to sham treatment.
– Diabetic Macular Edema (DME): Approved in 2014 after demonstrating greater efficacy vs laser photocoagulation, with more patients achieving better vision.
– Diabetic Retinopathy (DR): Approved in 2018 for DR in patients with DME, based on data showing decreased retinopathy severity and need for eye surgery compared to placebo.
– Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR): In 2021, an expanded approval allowed treating PDR in its more advanced proliferative stage.
These label extensions significantly expanded EYLEA’s treatable patient population beyond wet AMD, cementing its prominence as the leading global drug across major retinal vascular diseases. Growing disease prevalence of conditions like diabetes further drive increasing utilization of EYLEA in clinical practice worldwide.
Pricing and Cost Considerations
The list price of EYLEA in the US is over $1,850 per eye injection, which needs to be administered usually every 4-8 weeks. However, with most insurance coverage and patient assistance programs, the average out-of-pocket costs tend to be significantly lower. In Europe, the average EYLEA cost per injection ranges between €800-1200.
While quite expensive, clinical studies have found EYLEA to be a cost-effective treatment relative to alternatives or no treatment when its ability to improve or stabilize vision is taken into account. The drug delays the progression of vision loss from common retinal diseases and can potentially avoid more expensive outcomes further down the line, like vision rehabilitation or lost work productivity. Nevertheless, drug pricing remains an ongoing issue as more patients globally require long-term VEGF inhibitor therapy.
Future Outlook
Looking ahead, the EYLEA drug market is forecast to maintain steady high single-digit to low double-digit annual growth through 2030 on the back of aging global populations and rising prevalence of associated retinal conditions. Additional potential label expansions for new indications may further propel sales.
In Summary, regeneron is also developing an EYLEA pre-filled syringe and port delivery system to improve the treatment experience. The drug’s long-term market dominance seems assured given the lack of any directly competing new retinal VEGF inhibitors in clinical trials. Overall, EYLEA will likely remain the foundational first-line pharmac
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
