The growing vaccine market

The vaccine market has re-emerged as a key growth driver for big pharma with sales of $ 17.4 bn in 2007, growing on a CAGR of 31.9% (2004-2007) (DMHC2457, 12/2008). There is a continued trend towards high-price vaccines and genericization is currently not a major threat. The steady and fast growth is due to an innovation-driven revolution, fuelled by a greater understanding of the mechanism of disease and how the immune systems can be harnessed to target it. This has led to greater focus on the development of new vaccines, not only to prevent disease, but also to treat it, and not only with respect to infectious diseases, but also to diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Carriers and adjuvants play a key role as they are urgently needed for modern subunit vaccines, however, struggling with safety issues (DMHC2410, 09/2008). Safety has in fact become the limiting factor. Here lies an enormous competitive advantage for Pevion’s approved technology.

Growth in the market for vaccines is driven by a number of factors including:

  Reduction of healthcare costs through shift from therapeutic to preventive medicine

  Improved vaccines with higher immunity rates and fewer side effects

  Increasing demand for vaccines against infectious diseases

  Accessibility of new indications through novel vaccine technologies

  Increased vaccination programs worldwide supported by public organizations

  Focus on therapeutic vaccines