Report

Global brain cancer therapeutics market is projected to witness a CAGR of 8.53% during the forecast period 2024-2031, growing from USD 2.92 billion in 2023 to USD 5.62 billion in 2031. The growth of the brain cancer therapeutics market is supported by the rising investments in research activities, increasing provision of grants to researchers, growing approvals from different regulatory bodies in an accelerated manner, rising cases of brain cancer, and growing efforts of the key market players towards the development of novel therapeutic solutions. Brain cancer therapeutics encompass a broad range of treatment options, such as immunotherapies, targeted therapies, and chemotherapies.
Various governments are actively investing in increasing awareness about brain cancer and ensuring the availability of required therapies, propelling the global brain cancer therapeutics market size. For instance, the government of Canada is actively working on developing novel treatments for patients with benign and malignant brain tumors. Additionally, collaborations with organizations, such as the Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada and the Brain Canada Foundation, are aiding the government in maximizing the impact of research investments. For instance, a neurosurgeon-scientist from the University of Toronto and the University Health Network was able to transform the clinical management of patients with brain tumors and novel therapies for preventing high-risk surgical procedures.
Several market players and pharmaceutical companies are actively investing in the development of novel brain cancer therapies due to regulatory relaxations and an accelerated process of approval in various countries across the globe to combat the rising threat of brain cancer. With the help of the increasing number of clinical trials, the market is expected to encounter lucrative growth opportunities in the forecast years due to the steady flow of novel therapies.
Rising Research Activities to Provide Growth Opportunities
The rising research activities and investments in experimental drugs for combatting the growing threat of brain cancer are providing lucrative growth opportunities to the market. An experimental treatment being pioneered at the University College London (UCL) by a team of brain cancer specialists has shown remarkable success in various patients with brain cancer and is expected to be available within the next five years. With the rising cases of brain cancer, various research organizations across the globe are working on developing novel therapies for treating and managing the condition and providing funding to promising candidates to accelerate the development of novel therapeutics. In September 2024, a researcher from the University of Galway received a European Research Council (ERC) grant of approximately USD 1.6 million for working on new treatments for brain cancer. The researcher successfully developed a soft gel that contains cancer fighting drug for improving the effectiveness of drug-radiation therapy by weakening cancer cells.
Increasing Regulatory Approvals to Support Market Expansion
The rising approvals by different regulatory bodies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for treating various types of brain tumors provide lucrative growth opportunities to the market. In August 2024, the US FDA approved a new drug for slowing the growth of low-grade diffuse gliomas. This approval represents the thirst for molecularly targeted therapy designed for the disease and the first new option for treating low-grade diffuse glioma in over twenty years. The clinical trials demonstrating the drug's potential were published first in 2023 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Similarly, in April 2024, the FDA approved Tovorafenib for treating the most common childhood brain tumor. The FDA has approved the drug in an accelerated manner for patients who are six months or older with refractory or relapsed pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG) harboring a BRAF V600 mutation or BRAF fusion or rearrangement. The goal of the treatment is to shrink or stabilize the tumor without disrupting the life of the family or the patient. Such approvals provide treatment options for types of brain cancer that previously did not have any aiding healthcare professionals in combating the disease.
Immunotherapy to Hold Significant Market Share
Immunotherapy approaches take advantage of the patient's immune system and aid in eliminating the cancer cells by activating and stimulating the immune system in a targeted manner to kill tumor cells. The increasing success of different immunotherapies over the past few years in patients with various types of cancer is bolstering the interest in the therapy for treating malignant gliomas. The increasing provision of grants and rewards for immunotherapy research in brain cancer provides lucrative growth opportunities to the market. In October 2023, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded approximately USD 12 million to a researcher for a phase 1 clinical trial for assessing the safety of CAR-T cell immunotherapy for the most common type of malignant primary brain tumor in adults, glioblastoma multiforme. Such supportive initiatives have allowed the inclusion of additional trial participants for consideration in the research study. The standard approaches can provide symptomatic relief. However, they have a limited impact on improving the overall survival rate. Due to the rising provision of rewards, researchers can develop novel therapeutic solutions to improve survival rates and identify potential treatment alternatives for previously untreatable types of brain tumors.
North America to Hold Major Market Share
The rapid expansion of the market in the region is supported by the prominent presence of significant market players and increasing cases of brain cancer. According to the estimates of the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR), approximately 25,400 malignant tumors of the spinal cord and brain were diagnosed in 2024 in the United States. Additionally, the presence of a well-established healthcare system in countries such as the United States and Canada is also supporting the treatment, management, and diagnosis of complex conditions such as brain cancer. The presence of globally recognized clinics, hospitals, and treatment centers also ensures that patients have access to advanced diagnostic solutions and advanced diagnostic tools. Moreover, countries in North America are also allocating a significant portion of their healthcare budgets to the development and availability of advanced therapeutics to improve patient care. This increased spending allows for extensive research and development activities, propelling the availability of treatment options to enhance treatment outcomes for patients with brain cancer. Furthermore, the increasing efforts of government and private organizations to push awareness about brain cancer and treatment options available for the condition also provide lucrative growth opportunities to the market.
Future Market Scenario (2024 - 2031F)
The global brain cancer therapeutics market is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years due to the rising cases of brain cancer and increasing investment by various governments towards the development of the healthcare industry. As per the predictions of the World Health Organization (WHO), in the European region, approximately 85,000 new cases and 70,000 deaths from central nervous system and brain cancer are expected to occur in 2030. Additionally, increasing research activities by researchers across the globe are likely to support the expansion of the global brain cancer therapeutics market. For instance, City of Hope Medical Center, United States, is conducting an interventional study to assess if standard dose dexamethasone and low dose dexamethasone work in the same manner for reducing brain swelling after patients with brain cancer or primary brain tumors have undergone brain surgery. The study is expected to conclude in September 2025. Furthermore, developing a supportive regulatory environment is expected to encourage pharma companies to expedite the development of novel therapeutic solutions for brain cancer. Rising organizations' efforts to bolster brain cancer awareness are expected to augment the global brain cancer therapeutics market demand.
Key Players Landscape and Outlook
Increasing investments by the key market players toward novel product development and launches are aiding them in expanding their market reach and providing lucrative growth opportunities for the market. These efforts are helping the healthcare sector address the various gaps in the existing therapies and ensure the availability of advanced treatment solutions, improving patient survival rates and enhancing the effectiveness of treatments. Additionally, novel launches are often backed by speedy regulatory processes and approvals, ensuring quicker access to the market, and further encouraging market players to dedicate their resources to developing new therapeutic solutions. In March 2023, Novartis AG announced that the US FDA granted approval to Tafinlar + Mekinist for treating pediatric patients who are one year and older and suffering from low-grade glioma (LGG) with BRAF V600E mutation and require systemic therapy. This new indication holds the potential to become the new standard of treatment option for younger patients who are battling with this type of brain cancer. Novel launches by market players are crucial for driving the growth of the global brain cancer therapeutics market as new products continue to emerge, expected to enhance the treatment landscape for brain cancer and augment the market's expansion.