Gene therapy: $484 million world market by 2015

With still no gene therapy drug approved by the FDA, and only one controversial product in the market (Gendicine, approved only in China) since 2004, gene therapy is very much in its experimental stages.

And yet, the global market for gene therapy is already projected to reach $484 million by 2015. There is quite a huge revenue to be made, but still way below the estimates when Gendicine first came out. Market predictions depend on the approval of products, cost of treatment and the population that the drugs target but progress has been slow until this year. In May 2008, Phase III trial for end-stage head and neck cancer, the first for cancer, showed marked improvements in patient survival. In April and later in October, six patients with inherited blindness reported better vision when treated using an adeno-associated virus delivered directly to the eyes.

Currently, many other cancer and cardiovascular diseases are already in Phase III/Phase II of clinical trials, so there is promise in the horizon.

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