Throat Cancer Therapeutics Market: Current Analysis and Forecast (2023-2030)

Throat cancer therapeutics is a branch of oncology where cancer develops in the throat (pharynx) or voice box (larynx). The throat is a muscular tube that begins behind the nose and ends in the neck. Throat cancer most often begins in the flat squamous cells that line the inside of the throat. Throat cancers can develop from infection with cancer-causing viruses, like types of human papillomavirus (HPV), especially HPV type 16, occupational exposure to asbestos and synthetic fibers, radiation exposure, epstein-barr virus infection, and genetic disorders. Several factors, including a surge in the incidence of throat cancer, increasing awareness regarding throat cancer, increasing smoking population, rising alcoholism culture, and increased investments in oncology departments are driving the growth of the throat cancer therapeutics market during the forecast period. For instance, in August 2022, South- Korea-based clinical-stage biotechnology company Genexine Inc., involved in the development and commercialization of immunotherapeutics, announced the administration of dosage to the patient in a phase II clinical trial. They used a triple combination therapy of GX-188E (therapeutic DNA vaccine), GX-I7 (long-acting interleukin 7), and OpdivoR (nivolumab), PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The Throat Cancer Therapeutics Market is expected to grow at a steady rate of around 7.5% owing to the increased usage of alcohol and tobacco globally. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 29.5 million people ages 12 and older had Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in the year 2020. Several other factors, such as the rising genetic disorders and unhealthy lifestyles are leading drivers of throat cancer therapeutics globally. For instance, according to the BMC Public Health, in July 2023, the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles was 86.4% for diet, 14.5% for alcohol, 6.0% for tobacco, 72.2% for physical activity, 42.3% for screen time, and 63.9% for sleep duration. Apart from this, accelerated treatment efficiency with throat cancer therapeutics has resulted in faster treatment procedures and better accuracy which is also driving this market of throat cancer therapeutics at a steady rate. For instance, in June 2023, Innovent entered into a clinical trial collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany investigating combination therapy of IBI351 (KRASG12C Inhibitor) and Cetuximab (ERBITUX®)for KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC in China.

Based on cancer type, the market is bifurcated into pharyngeal cancer and laryngeal cancer. The laryngeal segment held the maximum share in the global market of throat cancer therapeutics in 2022. This segment dominated the market because of the increased prevalence of ill lifestyles including smoking, alcoholism, and unhealthy lifestyles among people. Laryngeal cancers are basically squamous cell carcinomas, originating from the skin of the larynx. Cancer may develop in any part of the larynx but the recovery or cure rate depends on the region on which cancer has originated. Increasing exposure to harmful substances and chemicals is also a propelling factor for this segment. Likewise, as per the American Cancer Society estimates for laryngeal cancer in January 2023, about 12,380 new cases of laryngeal cancer will be reported in the U.S. in 2023, among which 9,900 will be in men and 2,480 in women. Thus, amongst cancer types, the laryngeal held a significant share of the market in 2022.

Based on treatment type, the market is categorized into radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and others. The targeted drug therapy segment is expected to hold a significant share of the market in the forecast period owing to its potential feature of helping the immune system destroy cancer cells. Targeted drug therapy enhances the body's immune system to identify and kill cancerous cells. Conventional methods like surgery cannot be effective in treating head and neck cancers, in this case, targeted drug therapy shows promising results. In recent years, there has been a surge in the approval of various immunomodulators. For instance, immunomodulator Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) by Merck KGaA., got FDA approval on January 2023. Also, Dostarlimab (Jemperli) by immunomodulator GlaxoSmithKline plc got FDA approval in February 2023. Thus, amongst treatment types, the targeted drug therapy category is expected to witness higher CAGR during the forecast period.

On the basis of end users, the market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and others. The hospitals segment held a significant share of the market in 2022 attributed to the rising admissions in hospitals for cancer treatments, rising government support, increasing grants by pharmaceutical companies, and awareness programs regarding safety measures in the past few years. For instance, in February 2023, according to the observational study conducted by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, a total of 1586 new head and neck and esophageal cancers cancer cases were registered in Ocean Road Cancer Institute, Tanzania during the three-year study period (2019-2021). Thus, amongst end-users, hospitals held a significant share of the market in 2022.

For a better understanding of the market adoption of throat cancer therapeutics, the market is analyzed based on its worldwide presence in countries such as North America (U.S., Canada, and Rest of North America), Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of Asia-Pacific), Rest of World. APAC is expected to grow with a high CAGR in the global throat cancer therapeutics market in the forecast period. Several factors such as a surge in the development of a wide range of therapeutics for throat cancer treatment, enhanced accessibility, and diversified healthcare costs are driving the market's growth during the forecast period. Further, the increase in incidences of throat cancer is also having a positive impact on the market's growth. There have been significant improvisations and enhancements in throat cancer therapeutics in the region. For instance, according to the National Institute of Health in 2022, there were approximately 4,820,000 and 2,370,000 new cancer cases in China. Thus, amongst regions, APAC is expected to witness higher CAGR during the forecast period.

Some of the major players operating in the market include: Amgen Inc.; AstraZeneca; Bayer AG; Bristol Myers Squibb Company; Celldex Therapeutics; Lilly; Merck KGaA; Pfizer Inc.; Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.; and Sanofi.