Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by infection with freshwater parasitic worms. It can be acute or chronic infection mainly caused by parasitic worm’s blood flukes (trematode worms). There are two forms of schistosomiasis, such as intestinal and urogenital. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) reports in 2017, urogenital schistosomiasis is a high risk factor for the transmission of HIV infection in women. People usually get infected during agriculture, domestic, and occupational activities, which exposes them to infected water resulting into immune reactions. Symptoms in intestinal schistosomiasis infected patient shows various symptoms such as, abdominal pain, diarrhea, liver and spleen enlargement, fibrosis of the bladder, and progressive damage of kidney. Other chronic symptoms includes blood in stool, blood in urea, genital lesions, nodules in vulva, seizures, paralysis, seminal vesicle, and vaginal bleeding. This symptoms could result into urogenital related schistosomiasis complications, such as bladder cancer, and long term irreversible consequences such as infertility. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 218 million people required preventive treatments for schistosomiasis in 2015 and more than 66.5 million people were reported as treated for schistosomiasis in the same year. Further, WHO states that the transmission of schistosomiasis was reported in 78 countries. Schistosomiasis treatment is a major concern due to lack of proper medication and vaccination. Preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis includes praziquantel, metrifonate, and oxamniquine.
Parasitic species responsible for schistosomiasis and its geographical distribution by WHO.
||Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname
||China, Indonesia, and Philippines
||Several districts of Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
|Schistosoma guineensis and related S. intercalatum
||Rain forest areas of central Africa
||Africa, the Middle East, Corsica (France)
Global Schistosomiasis Treatment Market Taxonomy
On the basis of organ, the Schistosomiasis treatment market is segmented into:
On the basis of species, the Schistosomiasis treatment market is segmented into:
- Schistosoma mansoni
- Schistosoma japonicum
- Schistosoma mekongi
- Schistosoma guineensis
- Schistosoma haematobium
On the basis of drug type, the Schistosomiasis treatment market is segmented into:
Development of novel vaccines for the treatment of schistosomiasis is expected to propel the growth of schistosomiasis treatment market
According to the University of Nottingham in 2017, researchers have discovered the infiltrin protein on a parasitic egg, which may be responsible for this infectious disease. This discovery is expected create opportunities for targeted development of vaccination and treatments. Moreover, the College of Science at Oregon State University (OSU), discovered the new protein in Biomphalaria glabrata snail, known as Grctm6 in 2017. Research is in progresses use this protein as a biocontrol agent against schistosomiasis.
Dr. Afzal Siddiqui, a professor at the Tech Health Sciences Center, in 2015, received a patent for vaccine to treat schistosomiasis. The vaccine demonstrated successful results in pre-clinical trials and is undergoing clinical trials for safety and efficacy evaluation. Patent applications have also been filed in China, India, and Brazil. Dr. Siddiqui intends to develop and distribute this vaccine at affordable rates for the infected people. This is expected to stimulate growth in the schistosomiasis treatment market in future.
Increasing demand for preventive chemotherapy against schistosomiasis is expected to favor the growth of schistosomiasis treatment market
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017, around 92% people require preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis in Africa. Around 75% of school aged children are at risk of morbidity from schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Further, 78% of the economies have an epidemic outbreak of schistosomiasis and 52% of those countries require preventive chemotherapy. Also, the as per the WHO estimates, globally 207.7 million people required preventive chemotherapy in 2016, among them around 111.8 million were school-aged children. Increasing prevalence in schistosomiasis and its complications is a major driving factor that would fuel the growth of schistosomiasis treatment market in near future. Lack of hygienic environment and safe drinking water in emerging economies is expected to propel the growth of Schistosomiasis market.
In May 2017, Global Schistosomiasis Alliance organized the world’s Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) program hosted by World Health Organizations (WHO). Many organization from various economies supported this schistosomiasis control initiative program, which include Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Research for Control and Elimination (SCORE), Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, The Federal Ministry of Health Ethiopia (FMHE), and The Ministry of Health (MoH).
The major players in schistosomiasis treatment market include, Chemos GmbH & Co. KG, Shin Poong Pharma.Co. Ltd., Meher Distributors Pvt. Ltd., Merck & Co., Salvensis, Bayer AG, LondonPharma Ltd, Merck & Co., Inc., 3S Corporation Kancera AB, aj Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Avanscure Lifesciences Pvt. Ltd, CBC Pharma., VHB Life Science Inc., Samarth Pharma Pvt. Ltd., Taj Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Egyptian International Pharmaceuticals Industries Co SAE (EIPICO). These companies offer various drugs, which are being used for preventive chemotherapy.