Africa Anti-Rheumatic Drugs Market - Forecasts from 2023 to 2028

The Africa anti-rheumatic drugs market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.27% from an initial value of US$1,451.120 million in 2021 and is estimated to reach a market size of US$1,817.221 million in 2028.

Anti-rheumatic drugs are substances that are administered to treat rheumatoid arthritis, among other diseases like gout, lupus, osteoarthritis and so on. The market in the region is expected to see growth due to the growing geriatric population along with the presence of a fair share of pharmaceutical companies in the region.

Growth factors:

The anti-rheumatic drugs market in Africa is expected to be considerably driven due to the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in the region.

According to a study published in April 2021, under the name, "Rheumatic diseases in Africa", it was estimated that about 4.3 million individuals in the African region suffered from rheumatoid arthritis with the prevalence in individual countries estimated to be in the range of 0.06% to 3.4%. Thus, this extensive prevalence of these diseases in the region is expected to drive the demand for anti-0rheumatic drugs, in turn, driving the regional market.

The rising old-age population in the country is expected to be one of the key factors contributing to the market growth in the region. This is because the elderly population is more susceptible to the diseases and conditions for which these rheumatic drugs act as an aid. According to the United States Census Bureau, the population of Africa in the age bracket of 60 and above was recorded at 74.4 million and according to the projections by the Bureau, this figure is expected to rise to about 235.1 million by 2050, thus, showing a growth of more than 300% of the initial figure. Along with that, the proportion of people of age 60 and above is also projected to increase from 2020 to 2050. This steady rise in the geriatric population in the region is thus expected to drive the market for anti-rheumatic drugs in the African region.

Key development:

• In January 2023, the DSI (Department of Science and Innovation) and IPASA (Innovative Pharmaceutical Association of South Africa) collaborated with the SAMRC (South African Medical Research Council) in order to enhance the R&D capability in South Africa along with the commercialization of novel and innovative health solutions and boosting the pharmaceutical sector in the country. The IPASA is an association that consists of key market players like Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, and Roche, to name a few.
• Pfizer Nigeria launched a patient assistance program, "Project Afya" in 2019 which focuses on improving access to life-saving medication and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis for people living in rural and low-income areas.

Anti-rheumatic drugs are medications that are used in the treatment of autoimmune conditions such asrheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis for decreasing inflammation, and pain and preventing joint damage Besides rheumatoid arthritis, anti-rheumatic drugs are further used in the treatment of other autoimmune diseases such as lupus where the immune system attacks the healthier cells and organs of the body, thereby causing inflammation in joints, kidneys, heart, and lungs. Further, there has been evidence from the Global Burden of Disease studies which indicates that osteoarthritis is known to be a significant cause of disability and in the African region, it is regarded to be the most prevalent form of arthritis.Based on country, theAfrica anti-rheumatic drug market is divided into South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Kenya, Tunisia, and others.South African market is expected to hold a significant share in the African anti-rheumatic drug market.

Market Segmentation

By Type Of Disease

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Gout
• Lupus
• Others

By Drug Class

• Non-Steroid anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs)
• Corticosteroids
• Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
  • Methotrexate
  • Sulfasalazine
  • Hydroxychloroquine
  • Leflunomide
  • Biologic DMARDs
• Others

By Sales Channel

• Prescription
• Over-the-counter (OTC)

By Country

• South Africa
• Nigeria
• Algeria
• Kenya
• Tunisia
• Others