Johnson & Johnson’s Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Treatment is Going from Niche to Mainstream

Orphan drugs are starting to grow at a rate which is rapidly outpacing that of mainstream drugs and this previously peripheral pharma market is making investors sit up and pay attention.

Fresh data from Evaluate in its Orphan Drug Report 2022 has indicated that the orphan drug market is growing at almost twice the rate of the mainstream. The report goes on to predict that the orphan drug market will account for 20% of all prescription drug sales and almost one-third of the global drug pipeline’s value by 2026, with a 2021-26 CAGR at 12%.

The clearest example of this pattern can be found in the chronic lymphocytic leukaemia treatment developed by AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson, Imbruvica (ibrutinib). The Evaluate report estimates Imbruvica to reach $13 billion in global sales by the year 2026 and will be the biggest selling orphan drug on the market.

Johnson & Johnson’s lymphocyte differentiation antigen CD38 antibody cancer treatment drug, Darzalex is the second biggest selling orphan drug in the world after Imbruvica, suggesting the pharma giant is going to become an increasingly relevant player in this market in the future.