Report

The cancer immunotherapy market is projected to register a CAGR of 9.1% during the forecast period of 2022-2027.

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the market has been negatively impacted due to the shortage and irregular supply of cancer immunotherapy products. This might allow local manufacturers to increase their presence in the market. Additionally, some biopharmaceutical companies, such as Merck & Co. Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company, announced clinical trial delays. For instance, the data from ClinicalTrials.gov showed that more than 200 interventional oncology studies were suspended in March and April 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, 60% of institutions in the United States and 86% in Europe are enrolling new patients at a lower rate. Globally, companies are focusing on developing drugs or vaccines, especially immunotherapy-based drugs for COVID-19, because immunotherapy is highly effective since it stimulates patients' immune systems. This is expected to impact the market growth for a short period.

Certain factors driving the market growth include rising R&D activities, increasing effectivity and accuracy of newer therapies, rising adoption of target therapy over traditional therapy, and the growing prevalence of cancer. The increasing incidence of cancer is a major factor in the growth of the cancer immunotherapy market. According to the National Clinical Trials (NCT) Registry, as of September 8, 2020, there were more than 1,000 ongoing clinical trials globally across different phases of development for the treatment of cancer with immune-based therapies. Moreover, as these therapies are in development, if trials show positive outcomes shortly, new effective immuno-therapies can be expected for cancer.

Cancer immunotherapy plays a vital role in the maintenance of the immune system since it targets the infectious agents that may cause cancer through the production of antibodies. Cancer immunotherapy is considered to be new therapy, but it has shown great potential over the past few years. Also, with the huge burden of cancer cases and side effects of the present therapies, the market is expected to record a high growth rate during the forecast period.

Therefore, the presence of immunotherapy drugs like Keytruda has successfully extended life expectancy for some mesothelioma patients in clinical trials, which are expected to have a positive impact on the market. Thus, increasing efficacy and accuracy of the newer therapies, along with lesser side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy, are expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.

Cancer Immunotherapy Market Trends

Breast Cancer Segment Expected to Hold a Major Share in the Cancer Immunotherapy Market

Breast cancer is cancer that develops in the breast cells. The signs of breast cancer include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, a newly inverted nipple, or a red or scaly patch of skin.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected many market aspects, including screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care for breast cancer. The people diagnosed with breast cancer and people at high risk for breast cancer found themselves in a uniquely difficult position since the pandemic began. A retrospective multicentric study by Li J. et al. collected data on 8397 breast cancer patients from 97 Chinese cancer centers. Therefore, the Hubei province recorded the lowest incidence of early breast cancer (5.3%) in comparison to the other provinces (15.3%). Surgical procedures also decreased dramatically from 16.4% (December 2019) to 2.6% (February 2020), and there was also a delay in timelines from surgery to adjuvant therapy. Therefore, due to the shutdowns and increasing social distancing, there were a large number of delays in breast cancer surgeries that impacted the overall market negatively. Also, some breast cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy, weaken the immune system and possibly cause lung problems.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. There is a rising number of breast cancer cases across the globe, which is driving the overall growth of the market. Thus, the increasing need for effective and lasting breast cancer treatment is necessary.

The increasing R&D and awareness about breast cancer are expected to boost the overall growth of the market. For instance, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is a non-profit organization providing critical funding for cancer research across the globe to fuel advances in tumor biology, genetics, prevention, treatment, metastasis, and survivorship. Also, breastcancer.org provides the most reliable, complete, and updated information about breast cancer to create awareness among patients.

North America Expected to Continue Market Dominance over the Forecast Period

The major factors driving the market's growth in North America are developed healthcare infrastructure and increased government initiatives, which offer lucrative reimbursement policies.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the continuity of essential routine healthcare services and procedures, including chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, a life-saving option for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) hematologic malignancies. Companies such as Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Company, and Bristol-Myers Squibb halted clinical trials due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, it negatively impacts the market studied due to the shortage and irregular supply of cancer immunotherapy products.

According to the estimates of the GLOBOCAN in 2020, there were an estimated 2,281,658 new cancer cases diagnosed and 612,390 deaths due to cancer in the United States.

The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) estimated that in 2020, approximately 29,800 Canadians were diagnosed with lung cancer, which amounted to 13% of all new cancer cases. About 21,200 Canadians were expected to die from lung cancer, which represented 25% of all cancer deaths in 2020. This indicates a huge potential market demand for cancer immunotherapy. Owing to the increasing burden of various types of cancer, the market studied is expected to grow.

The market players are also focusing on launching new products in the market. Furthermore, various organizations are increasing awareness among consumers regarding cancer. Therefore, with the increasing cancer burden and the rising R&D in the field of cancer, the market is expected to experience lucrative growth during the forecast period.

Cancer Immunotherapy Market Competitor Analysis

The cancer immunotherapy market is highly competitive and consists of a few major players. Companies like Amgen Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca, Bayer AG, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Co., F. Hoffman La Roche, Merck and Co., Novartis, and OSE Immunotherapeutics, among others, hold a substantial share in the cancer immunotherapy market. The market players have also been significantly investing in R&D for cancer therapy, which along with the increasing product approvals, are further driving the market growth.

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