Currently cancer is the second largest cause of mortality throughout the globe amounting to 8.8 million deaths. Chemotherapy has become the most desired treatment option in cancer patients due to effective clinical options and larger life expectancy in comparison to surgical procedures.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers such as Merck & Co., Inc, Sanofi-Aventis and Eisai, Inc., are meticulously striving to provide anti emetic drugs for the treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. Inorganic growth strategies are being employed by market leaders to maintain generic brands, and market authorization holder status in Europe and Asia Pacific region. Healthcare professionals are investing huge amount of time and money in understanding the clinical outcomes of different drug combination currently being prescribed for treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting.

The disease etiology of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting is not very well understood, however the stimulation of chemo trigger zone in the medulla oblongata by antineoplastic drugs causing release of serotonin, dopamine and substance P is notably recorded. CINV if not properly treated can result in nutritional depletion, anorexia and causes cancer patient severe mental trauma. It is classified as acute, refractory and delayed as per the symptom’s severity encountered in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

In the current scenario Alkynzeo (Helsinn Healthcare), Emend (Merck & Co., Inc), Aloxi (Eisai, Inc.) are the most prescribed drugs for the treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting. Clinical trials are underway to understand the drug efficacy and safety of different drug combination in CINV treatment.

Analyst View:

Increasing demand for chemotherapy as treatment option in cancer patient and affordable reimbursement scenario for drugs employed in the treatment of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting treatment will propel the market growth in developed nations such as North America and Europe. NK1 receptor antagonist will dominate the market in the coming years due to excellent clinical outcomes of netupitant and rolapitant in treatment of acute CINV.