Ovarian cancer is one of the most dreadful type of cancer widely found in women. In this cancer, abnormal cells growth is experienced in the ovaries, which has potential to invade or adversely affect other body parts such as abdomen layers, lining of the bowel and bladder, lymph nodes, and liver. Initial stages of ovarian cancer are associated with few vague symptoms, which further manifest as the cancer grows. These symptoms include inflating, pelvic ache, abdominal puffiness, and loss of appetite.

Ovarian cancer is a relatively rare cancer as compared to other types, though risk is higher among women who have ovulated more over their lifetime, which can also include females who have never borne a child and those who began ovulating at a very young age. According to American Cancer Society, around 10% of ovarian cancer cases are related to inherited genetic risk. Women with mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have 50% chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer. Ovarian carcinoma, is the most common ovarian cancer that accounts for 95% of cases, globally.

Ovarian cancer drugs market supported by growing aging population in the U.S. and U.K.

Rising number of ovarian cancer cases recorded over the recent past, is creating a highly conducive environment for growth of the ovarian cancer drugs market. According to American Cancer Society, in 2016, around 22,280 new cases of ovarian cancer were diagnosed, leading to 14,240 deaths in the U.S. According to the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program of the National Cancer Institute data, an increase in all new cancer cases is recorded, with ovarian cancer accounting for 1.3% of the incidence rate, and 2.4% of all related deaths, in 2016. The number of new ovarian cancer cases account for 11.9 per 100,000 women, and the total deaths account for 7.5 per 100,000 women, annually. According to World Cancer Research Fund International data on the basis of highest rate of ovarian cancer by country: Fiji, age standardized rate per 100,000 is 14.9, followed by Latvia and Bulgaria with age standardized rate per 100,000 being 14.2 and 14.0, respectively. The U.K. stands tenth, with age standardized rate per 100,000 pegged at 11.7. Around 58% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in emerging economies, with the highest incidence rate recorded in Africa and Asia Pacific. In the U.K., around 46% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, survive for around five years or more following the onset of the disease. According to Australian Government, Cancer Australia, as of 2017, 1,580 new ovarian cancer cases are estimated to be diagnosed, accounting for 2.5% of ovarian cancer cases among all new cancer cases in the country. This is estimated to result in 1,047 deaths in 2017. Thus, the ovarian cancer drugs industry is expected to gain significant traction in developed regions, in the near future.

Ovarian Cancer Drugs Market Taxonomy

The global ovarian cancer drugs market is segmented on the basis of chemotherapy drugs, end user, and geography.

On the basis of chemotherapy drugs, the ovarian cancer drugs are segmented into:

Carboplatin

Cisplatin

Docetaxel

Paclitaxel

Other Medication (Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Gemcitabine, Oxaliplatin, and Topotecan).

On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into:

Hospitals

Ambulatory Surgical Centers

Clinics

Current scenario in ovarian cancer drugs market: High prevalence of ovarian cancer among women over 60 years in the U.S. and U.K.

Regional segmentation of the global ovarian cancer drugs market by Coherent Market Insights comprises North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America accounts for the largest market share, mainly due to presence of major players and adoption of advanced medical technologies in countries such as the U.S. and Canada. According to American Cancer Society, an estimated 22,440 women would receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer and around 14,080 women will die from ovarian cancer in 2017 in the U.S. alone. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most prevalent cancer among women, which accounts for high percentage of deaths when compared to other cancer related to reproductive system cancer. It is stated that 1 in 75 women are at risk of contracting ovarian cancer and fatalities related to the disease is pegged at 1 in 100. Prevalence of ovarian cancer is usually low among women under 40 years of age. According to American Cancer Society, most of the ovarian cancer cases are reported among women aged 60 years and above. According to Cancer Research UK, in 2014, 7,378 new cases of ovarian cancer were reported in the country, of which around 53% of cases diagnosed were among females aged 65 years and above.

Combinational drug approach, a novel approach in the ovarian cancer drugs market

Key players operating in the ovarian cancer drugs market include Bristol Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Novogen, Inc., Genentech Inc., Aetera Zenteris Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, and F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. Major companies in this market are constantly working towards introducing innovative products and lowering production costs in order to enhance profitability. For instance, Roche’s blockbuster drug Avastin (bevacizumab) used in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel is being used to treat ovarian cancer.

Key Developments

Research and development related to the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer is expected to offer lucrative opportunities for market players. For instance, in August 2019, researchers from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, U.S. identified ovarian cancer drug resistance protein that needs to be blocked for the treatment of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Moreover, in July 2019, researchers from the University College London, in collaboration with research centers in Germany, Italy, Norway, and the Czech Republic, found a link between lower levels of lactobacilli in the vagina and the presence of ovarian cancer or BRCA1 mutations in women aged under 50.

Similarly, in February 2018, researchers from Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, found that paternal genes may influence ovarian cancer risk.