The Current Market Leader in Epilepsy, Levetiracetam, Will Maintain Its Market-Leading Status Through 2020

Despite Generic Erosion of Nearly All Second-Generation Antiepileptic Drugs (AEDs), Sales of AEDs in Epilepsy Will Continue to Grow Over Next Decade, According to Findings from Decision Resources

BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Decision Resources, one of the world’s leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the current leading agent in the epilepsy drug market, levetiracetam (UCB/Otsuka Pharmaceutical’s Keppra/E Keppra/Keppra XR, generics), will maintain its market-leading status through 2020 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan. In 2020, immediate- and extended-release formulations of levetiracetam will garner major-market sales of approximately $740 million.

“The majority of AEDs will be generic over the next ten years, creating downward pressure on the epilepsy market”

The Pharmacor advisory service entitled Epilepsy, which will be published by the end of the month, also finds that the overall market to treat the disease will increase from $2.7 billion in 2010 to $3.3 billion in 2020. Despite generic competition to nearly all agents within the second-generation antiepileptic drug (AED) class through 2020, the use of these agents in epilepsy will continue to grow, which will partially counteract the effects of increasing generic competition to branded agents.

“The majority of AEDs will be generic over the next ten years, creating downward pressure on the epilepsy market,” said Decision Resources Analyst Nadja Rozovsky, Ph.D. “Although physicians who treat epilepsy patients often express concerns about bioavailability differences between a branded AED and its generic version, which could lead to breakthrough seizures, generic AEDs have an important role in the treatment of epilepsy, and several popular branded second-generation AEDs contend with strong direct generic competition. Nevertheless, the entrance of emerging agents, combined with growing use of the already-available and mostly branded—and premium-priced—third-generation AEDs, will temper the impact of generic AEDs."

The findings also reveal that several third-generation AEDs—particularly UCB’s Vimpat, Sunovion/Bial/Eisai’s Zebinix/Stedesa, GlaxoSmithKline/Valeant’s Potiga/Trobalt, Eisai’s perampanel and UCB’s Rikelta—have and will continue to offer new therapeutic options to epilepsy patients as adjunctive agents. However, because these drugs will be used in later lines of treatment and compete with established AEDs in this space, they will experience only modest uptake translating into moderate sales. In 2020, Decision Resources expects third-generation AEDs to capture over a quarter of total epilepsy major-market sales.

About Decision Resources

Decision Resources (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources and master their chosen markets. Decision Resources is a Decision Resources Group company.

About Decision Resources Group

Decision Resources Group is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources Group at www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.