Cephalosporin Drugs Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

The cephalosporin drugs market was valued at approximately USD 14,010 million in 2020, and it is expected to reach USD 16,490 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 2.75% during the forecast period, 2021-2026.

There are various studies that have found that the higher cephalosporin consumption rate and use ratio have made lower morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19 than other antibacterials. For instance, according to a research study by Hisaya Tanioka et aol., published in BMJ Journal October 2020, the study results found that penicillins should be avoided to use under the condition in COVID-19. Empirical treatment with neuraminidase inhibitors and the combination of cephalosporins and macrolides or quinolones are suggested to be an effective treatment for COVID-19. However, cephalosporins inhibit the SARS-CoV-2, and the results of the study and the effective cases imply that cephalosporins may work against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Also, the cephalosporins in combinations with macrolides and quinolones may be potentially effective against COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Therefore, there are in vitro and in vivo studies going on to evaluate the potential of generations of cephalosporin for COVID-19.

The market is expected to grow due to the increasing demand for anti-microbials in various indications, the rising prevalence of infectious diseases, and the increase in funding for the development of antibiotics. The market growth is also attributed to the increase in consumption of cephalosporin, easier availability, and a rise in demand for over-the-counter drugs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2019, a total of 8,920 new cases of tuberculosis (TB) were reported in the United States, representing an incidence rate of 2.7 cases per 100,000 population. As per the US Department of Health & Human Services report 2020, about 37,832 people in the United States were diagnosed with HIV in 2018, and 38,000 new HIV infections still occur in the United States. It has also been reported that there is a rapid spread of various infectious diseases that is fueling the market growth.

The increasing number of clinical trials for R&D of cephalosporin drugs is also expected to propel the growth of the cephalosporin drugs market over the forecast period. For instance, in September 2018, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) granted USD 9.4 million for establishing the Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) to address the worldwide threat of drug-resistant pathogens.

Additionally, there are also companies involved in the strategic development of new products; for example, in April 2018, Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd announced that its partner Avir Pharma Inc. launched Basilea’s hospital antibiotic Zevtera (ceftobiprole) in Canada. Hence, all these factors may help the cephalosporin drugs market to witness high growth over the forecast period.

Key Market Trends

The Fifth-generation Segment is Expected to Witness Healthy Growth Over the Forecast Period

The fifth-generation cephalosporins are found to be developed in the lab to specifically target resistant strains of bacteria. The fifth-generation cephalosporins include ceftobiprole, ceftaroline, and ceftolozane. The ceftobiprole is found to be effective against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the number of infectious diseases, which has impelled the pharmaceutical industry to develop both therapeutic and preventive interventions. The burden of infectious diseases across the world is increasing, which is resulting in the rising focus on diagnosis and treatment of the same. According to the UNAIDS, during 2019, the number of new HIV/AIDS cases found in the world was around 1.7 million, and about 38 million people were living with HIV worldwide in the same year.

Ceftobiprole has antipseudomonal characteristics that appear to be less susceptible to the development of resistance. Ceftaroline has also been described as the fifth-generation cephalosporin but does not have the antipseudomonal or VRE coverage of ceftobiprole. The fifth-generation cephalosporins are not active against Pseudomonas species.

The market is found growing as it has opened gates for an alternative for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections and complicated urinary tract infections. Furthermore, ceftolozane is also combined with the β-lactamase inhibitor tazobactam, as multi-drug resistant bacterial infections generally exhibit resistance to all β-lactam antibiotics, unless this enzyme is inhibited. Hence, the rising use of combination therapies may drive the market during the forecast period.

In March 2018, Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd announced that its partner Grupo Biotoscana S.L. had launched Basilea's hospital antibiotic Zevtera (ceftobiprole) in Argentina. Also, there has been a notable increase in the fifth-generation cephalosporin drugs such as ceftobiprole and ceftaroline that has been attributed to their ability to kill a wide range of bacteria. Thus, owing to above mentioned factors it is expected to drive segment growth over the forecast period.

Asia-Pacific is Expected to be the Fastest Growing Segment in the Global Market

Asia-Pacific is expected to witness high growth due to the rising prevalence of infectious diseases, increasing healthcare expenditure, and a large population base. Furthermore, cefuroxime is a second-generation cephalosporin antibiotic that has a broad-spectrum activity and is commonly used for the treatment of both upper and lower respiratory tract infections, Lyme disease, and genitourinary tract infections. It is readily available and affordable, and it exists in both oral and parenteral forms.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown a slight impact on this market as the cephalosporins have not been proven much effective against viruses. β-lactam antibiotics, including cephalosporins, have a bacteriostatic effect. The bacteriostatic action means the action of suppressing the growth of bacteria. β-lactam antibiotics act by inhibiting peptidoglycan synthase, which is an enzyme required for synthesizing bacterial cell walls.

In China, tuberculosis is the leading cause of death due to infectious diseases among adults. According to the World Health Organization in 2019, 8,33,000 people fell ill with tuberculosis in China. However, China is still among the 30 high-burden tuberculosis countries in the world, and tuberculosis remains a public health concern. The rising cases of tuberculosis are expected to boost the overall growth of the market.

Also, there is an increase in consumption of cephalosporin, easier availability, a rise in demand for over-the-counter drugs, and an increase in bacterial infection in the region that help in driving the market growth.

Competitive Landscape

The Cephalosporin Drugs Market is fragmented in terms of competition, owing to the presence of many small and large companies. There are also various collaborations, agreements, partnerships, and new product launches that are some of the important strategies adopted by the market players. Some of the well-known players in the market studied include Astellas Pharma Inc., Baxter International, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Mankind Pharma, Merck & Co. Inc., Pfizer Inc., and Teva Pharmaceuticals. The increasing number of clinical trials for R&D of cephalosporin drugs by these companies is expected to propel the growth of the cephalosporin drugs market over the forecast period.

Reasons to Purchase this report:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support