A Me-Too Push By Biopharma Is Crowding the Psoriasis Market

A wave of R&D is leading to next-generation psoriasis drugs that work better than ever. That's great news for patients desperate for new treatment options, but it's bad news for biopharma companies that are fighting for market shares in an increasingly diluted market.

The risk associated with the changing landscape in psoriasis treatment was brought front and center by Celgene Corp.'s (NASDAQ: CELG) lackluster third-quarter performance for Otezla, a historically fast-growing psoriasis drug that saw its year-over-year growth crimped by new competition. Since new medications are winning market share and more drugs are coming through clinical development, let's take a closer look at this market.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with an overactive response by the immune system. It can lead to skin and joint problems and the incidence rate of other conditions and diseases are higher in psoriasis patients than in the general population. For example, the rate of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, depression, and lymphoma are all higher in psoriasis patients than would be otherwise expected.

Source: Fool.com