Interferon Market: Competitive Landscape, Pipeline, and Market Analysis 2023

Interferon is a class of proteins produced by the immune system that play a critical role in regulating the body's response to infections, tumors, and other diseases. It exerts its therapeutic effects by modulating immune responses, inhibiting viral replication, and enhancing anti-tumor activity. Interferon finds application in various disease indications, including chronic viral infections such as hepatitis B and C, certain types of cancer like melanoma and leukemia, autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, and rare genetic diseases like hairy cell leukemia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hepatitis C affects an estimated 2.8 million people in Europe and around 2.7 million people in the United States. In the case of multiple sclerosis, Europe has one of the highest prevalence rates globally, with approximately 700,000 people affected. The American Cancer Society reports that melanoma, a type of skin cancer, accounts for about 1% of all skin cancers but causes the majority of skin cancer deaths. Leukemia, on the other hand, affects around 28,000 adults and more than 3,000 children in the United States each year.

Growth drivers of the Interferon market include increasing awareness about its therapeutic benefits, ongoing research and development activities focusing on new formulations and delivery methods, and collaborations between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers. These factors contribute to the market's expansion and drive the adoption of Interferon therapy for various disease indications. Companies such as Roche, Merck (MSD), EMD Serono, Merck (MSD), Biogen, Bayer, Horizon Therapeutics, Clinigen, Pharmaessentia, AOP Orphan Pharma, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Sobi, Union Therapy, Immunic, Medtronic, AIM Immunotech, Xiamen Amoytop Biotech, Hayashibara, Otsuka, Amarillo, Astellas, Sanofi, Pfizer, Faron Pharma, Maruishi Pharma, Vyriad, Immunitybio, Ferring cater to this category. Moreover, many companies are coming up with new molecules in this space. For instance, Union Therapy is currently conducting a clinical trial of the drug LEO 32731 for the treatment of dermatitis.

Key Developments

• In April 2021, Roche’s Pegasys got registered for Hepatitis B (In adolescents, In children) in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway.
• In April 2021, Roche’s Pegasys got registered for Hepatitis B (In adolescents, In children) in the European Union.
• In March 2022, The Enzon got worldwide patent protection for peginterferon alfa-2b.

Approved Interferon Molecules

• Pegasys (pegylated interferon α -2a)
• ViraferonPeg (peginterferon-α-2b)
• Rebif (human IFN-β-1a)
• Intron A (interferon α-2b)
• Avonex (recombinant IFN-β-1a)
• Betaseron (IFN-β-1b)
• Roferon A (recombinant interferon alfa-2a)
• Actimmune (interferon gamma-1 b)
• Besremi (ropeginterferon alfa-2b)
• Plegridy (PEG-interferon β-1a)
• Saphnelo (anifrolumab)
• Extavia (IFN-β-1b)
• Gamifant (emapalumab-lzsg)

Interferon Pipeline Molecules

• Orismilast oral (LEO 32731)
• Vidofludimus (IMU-838)
• Sifalimumab (MDX-1103)
• PF-06823859
• Interferon beta inhalation (SNG001)
• RSLV-132
• TG1042
• Tadekinig alfa (IL-18BP)
• AMG 811
• GEN-001
• KIO-101
• NG-641
• VTX958
• NIZ985
• PF530 (interferon beta-1b biosimilar)
• Eramkafusp alfa (IGN002)
• Interferon omega (ITCA 638)
• Peginterferon alfa 2b 48kDA (BIP48)
• BNT151
• EI-001
• INO-5151

Clinical Activity and Development of Interferon

In the Interferon space, more than 20 companies are conducting more than 400 clinical trials in this category of drugs. For instance,

• In Oct 2021, Hoffmann-La Roche completed a phase III trial in Hepatitis B (In adolescents, In children) in United Kingdom, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Italy, Israel, Germany, China, Bulgaria, Belgium, Australia, USA
• In Feb 2023, Enzon presented the efficacy data from the phase I BEAT-2 trial in HIV-1 infections at the 30th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections 2023 (CROI-2023)