The global pancreatic cancer drugs market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of X% during the forecast period. Increasing prevalence of pancreatic cancer has increased the demand for therapies for pancreatic cancer treatment. As per the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), in 2018, the new incidences of pancreatic cancer were 460,000 globally. It is the eleventh most commonly occurring cancer in women and twelfth most commonly occurring cancer in men. The major countries with the highest incidence of pancreatic cancer include Hungary, Uruguay, Moldova, Latvia, and Japan, with the age-standardized rate of 10.8, 10.7, 10.5, 10.3, and 9.7, per 100,000. Some common risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, obesity, and tobacco. Due to the severity of pancreatic cancer, the emerging focus on creating awareness has been reported.

The third Thursday of November is the World Pancreatic Cancer Day in which people across the globe unite to fight against pancreatic cancer. The World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition comprises over 80 organizations from more than 30 countries on 6 continents which unite to increase awareness and encourage action. This aims to bring significant attention, awareness, and better results for the management of pancreatic cancer. The coalition supports to increase awareness among people regarding the early detection of the condition. This, in turn, contributes to the demand for therapies including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy is a major form of systemic therapy for pancreatic cancer treatment. However, immunotherapy and targeted therapy are occasionally used and are being studied as effective treatments.

Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells, normally by ending the ability of cancer cells’ to grow and divide. During chemotherapy, a patient may be given one drug at a time or a combination of different drugs provided at the same time. The chemotherapy drugs that are approved by the US FDA for pancreatic cancer include Capecitabine (Xeloda), Oxaliplatin (Eloxatin), Leucovorin (Wellcovorin), Gemcitabine (Gemzar), and Fluorouracil (5-FU). In addition, there are several products under pipeline which may offer significant opportunity for more reliable and effective medications to manage pancreatic cancer among all age group patients.

Market Segmentation

The global pancreatic cancer drugs market is segmented based on the cancer type and treatment type. Based on cancer type, the market is classified into exocrine and endocrine. Based on treatment type, the market is classified into chemotherapy drugs, targeted therapy drugs, and immunotherapy drugs. 

Pancreatic cancer drugs find its significant application for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic cancer

In 2019, exocrine pancreatic cancer held the largest share in the market. It is the most common type of pancreatic cancer. It develops from exocrine cells that consist of the ducts of the pancreas and exocrine gland. The most common type of exocrine tumor is adenocarcinoma. These tumors normally start in the pancreas ducts, referred to as ductal adenocarcinoma. Other much rare types of exocrine pancreatic cancer include adenosquamous carcinoma, colloid carcinoma, hepatoid carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Several kinds of exocrine pancreatic cancers consist of over 95% of all cancers of the pancreas. This, in turn, results in the considerable share of the exocrine pancreatic cancer drugs market.

Global Pancreatic Cancer Drugs Market Share by Cancer Type, 2019 (%)

Regional Outlook

The global pancreatic cancer drugs market is segmented into four major regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). North America is anticipated to hold a significant share in the market owing to the significant awareness regarding cancer disorders and favorable Medicare coverage for cancer-related services and treatments. As per the estimates by the American Cancer Society (ACS) for 2020, nearly 57,600 people, of which 30,400 men and 27,200 women will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It accounts for nearly 3% of all cancers in the US and nearly 7% of all cancer mortalities. This has led the demand for potential therapies for the condition and thereby accelerating the market growth in the region.

Global Pancreatic Cancer Drugs Market Growth, by Region 2020-2026

Market Players Outlook

The major players operating in the market include Eli Lilly and Co., F- Hoffman La-Roche AG, Novartis International AG, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, and Merck & Co., Inc. The strategies adopted by the market players include mergers and acquisitions, product launches, and partnerships and collaborations to expand market share and gain a competitive advantage. For instance, in February 2019, Eli Lilly and Company acquired Loxo Oncology, Inc. to widen the scope of oncology portfolio of Lilly into precision medicines with the addition of a pipeline of highly selective effective medications for patients suffering from genomically defined cancers. 

This will enable the company to target cancers that are caused by specific gene abonormalities. In November 2017, Bayer Consumer Care AG and Loxo Oncology entered into a global collaboration to develop and commercialization TRK inhibitors Vitrakvi (larotrectinib) and LOXO-195. Vitrakvi is used for the treatment of patients with solid tumors, including thyroid, lung, and gastrointestinal cancer, such as pancreatic cancer and colon cancer. When the new licensing arrangement will take effect, Eli Lilly will get royalties from Bayer regarding future sales of LOXO-195 and Vitrakvi both in the US and the global markets. 

The Report Covers

• Market value data analysis of 2019 and forecast to 2026.
• Annualized market revenues ($ million) for each market segment.
• Country-wise analysis of major geographical regions.
• Key companies operating in the global pancreatic cancer drugs market. Based on the availability of data, information related to pipeline products, and relevant news is also available in the report.
• Analysis of business strategies by identifying the key market segments positioned for strong growth in the future.
• Analysis of market-entry and market expansion strategies.
• Competitive strategies by identifying ‘who-stands-where’ in the market.