Market Trends of Oral Transmucosal Drugs Industry
Tablets segment is Expected to Hold a Significant Share Over the Forecast Period
The tablet sub-segment by product type is expected to witness growth over the forecast period. Oral transmucosal tablets easily dissolve in the mouth with little or no residue. As oral transmucosal tablets absorb quickly, they play a critical role during medical emergencies such as heart attacks.
Furthermore, the tablets segment is anticipated to hold a significant share of the market, owing to the advantages offered by oral transmucosal tablets, such as quick absorption, predictable potency, ease of administration, and reduced interaction with other medications. As per the research study published in the National Library of Medicine's Journal in August 2021, a decrease in salivary output is common among older adults having polypharmacy, and the study reported that dental carries risks in older adults increase by 60% with a low resting pH and a low stimulated salivary flow rate. It was also reported that the prevalence of caries in older adults in India was about 82%, while in Germany it was about 30% in 2020. Therefore, the expected rise in dental caries among elderly people resulted in determining an alternative route of medication administration than the oral route, which is expected to positively impact the studied segment.
Moreover, the rise in oral transmucosal tablet approvals is expected to drive segment growth over the forecast period. For instance, in May 2021, Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc. received final approval from the US FDA for its abbreviated new drug application for asenapine (5 mg) sublingual tablets. The product was developed by Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc., and MSN Laboratories, Private Limited. Such product approvals are expected to increase the market's growth.
Thus, the abovementioned factors are expected to increase the market segment's growth.
North America Dominates the Market and is Expected to do the Same in the Forecast Period
North America holds the major market share in the oral transmucosal drugs market and is expected to dominate the overall market throughout the forecast period owing to the high prevalence of target populations such as people suffering from PD, Alzheimer's, dental ailments, and dysphagia, along with the increase in the geriatric population, and the high acceptance of novel oral transmucosal drugs in the region.
According to CDC data, as of January 2021, one quarter (26%) of adults aged 65 or older had 8 or fewer teeth, and approximately 1 in 6 (17%) adults aged 65 or older had lost all their teeth in the United States. In addition, according to the same source's February 2022 data, 63% of adults aged 18 and over in the United States had a dental visit in the past year, and 85.9% of children aged 2-17 years had a dental visit in the year 2020. This increasing number of dental visits in the country is expected to drive the demand for oral transmucosal drugs such as midazolam and buprenorphine for sedation and pain relief.
Similarly, initiatives undertaken by the market players are expected to augment the market's growth further. For instance, in July 2021, Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. received acceptance of a new drug application resubmission for Libervant from the US FDA. It is a diazepam buccal film developed for the management of seizure clusters. Thus, such approvals are expected to strengthen the market's growth.
Thus, the abovementioned factors are expected to increase the market's growth in the North American region.
