Hansen’s Disease Treatment Market Size, Share, and Industry Analysis By Drug Class (Antibiotics, Immunomodulators, and Others), By Disease Type (Paucibacillary (Tuberculoid Leprosy), Multibacillary (Lepromatous Leprosy), and Others), By Route of Administration (Oral, Parenteral, and Topical), By Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacies, Retail Pharmacies, and Online Pharmacies), and Regional Forecast till 2032

Hansen's disease (leprosy) is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium lepromatosis. It predominantly affects the skin and the peripheral nerves, potentially leading to progressive and permanent disabilities if left untreated. Hansen's disease is not highly contagious and does not spread easily through casual contact. The disease is curable if treatment is completed as prescribed. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the treatment usually lasts between one to two years.

The treatment for this disease involves the use of antibiotic drugs and a combination of antibiotics drugs known as multidrug therapy (MDT), which typically includes rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine. In addition, the World Health Organization recommends the use of corticosteroids (prednisolone) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (acetylsalicylic acid and ibuprofen) to treat nerve damage and mild reactions in Hansen’s disease, respectively.

Although Hansen’s disease is a rare disorder, its prevalence is growing in some areas worldwide. This increase in the number of individuals affected by the disease surges the demand for effective therapeutics and treatments to manage and cure Hansen's disease. This high demand for effective drugs is expected to boost the market growth over the coming years.

• For instance, in January 2023, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 200,000 new cases of Hansen’s disease are still recorded annually in more than 120 countries across the globe. The rise in the number of cases is expected to boost the demand for effective Hansen’s disease therapeutics, creating significant opportunities for Hansen’s disease drug manufacturers. Therefore, the growing prevalence is expected to spur the market growth.

Moreover, this rising number of cases is further propelling the launches and approvals of novel treatment regimens for Hansen's disease by several governments across the world. This increases the availability of innovative treatment options, further accelerating the market growth over the forecast period.

• For instance, in January 2024, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, introduced a three-drug regimen for paucibacillary (PB) cases, replacing a two-drug regimen for six months in India. The World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to supply this new drug regimen starting in April 2025. This novel treatment is expected to eradicate Hansen's disease worldwide, thereby contributing to market growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a slight negative impact on Hansen’s disease treatment market. The pandemic drastically affected the diagnosis rate of Hansen’s disease due to factors such as reduced accessibility to healthcare, social distancing, and restrictions on urban mobility. These factors further led to disruptions in the operation of national Hansen’s disease and treatments.

• For instance, in May 2022, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the detected Hansen’s disease cases reduced to 65,147 in 2020-2021 compared to 114,451 in 2019-2020. Therefore, this disruption in the detection and treatment of Hansen’s disease impacted the sales of drugs, declining the market growth in 2020.

Key Insights

The report covers the following key insights:

• Incidence of Hansen’s Disease, by Key Countries, 2023


• Pipeline Analysis, by Key Players


• New Product Launches, by Key Players


• Key Industry Developments (Mergers, Acquisitions, Partnerships, and Others)


• Impact of COVID-19 on the Market      

Segmentation

Analysis by Drug Class

Based on drug class, the antibiotics segment is expected to hold a significant share of the global Hansen’s disease treatment market during the forecast period. Antibiotics are considered the first line of treatment for Hansen’s disease. Multidrug antibiotic therapy is the recommended treatment regimen, which consists of three drugs such as dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine. Therefore, key market players are focused on increasing the availability of several antibiotics in different forms. In addition, the government initiatives to support the diagnosis and treatment of Hansen’s disease is anticipated to boost the adoption of these drugs, further driving the segmental growth.

• For instance, in November 2023, the Tamil Nadu Health Department, India, launched a drive for Hansen’s disease awareness. This is expected to raise the public awareness regarding the cardinal signs of the disease and boost the adoption of Hansen’s disease drugs, including antibiotics.

Such government initiatives to raise awareness are anticipated to drive segment growth.

On the other hand, the immunomodulators segment is expected to grow substantially during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the increasing use of immunomodulators in Hansen's disease treatment, as they help modify the defective cell-mediated immune response in some leprosy cases. As a result, the availability of several immunomodulatory drugs, such as thalidomide, has increased by key players in recent years. This is anticipated to fuel the segment growth over the upcoming years.

Regional Analysis

North America is anticipated to hold a significant share of the Hansen’s disease treatment market during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to the increasing focus of research organizations on Hansen’s disease research in the region. This initiative is fueled by the growing incidence of Hansen’s disease in the region.  

• For instance, in November 2023, according to the Emerging Pathogens Institute, Florida in the U.S. is ranked amongst the states with the highest Hansen’s disease incidence, with approximately 263 new cases from 2002-2022.

Due to the strong incidence of the disease, market players and research institutes have shifted their focus toward research studies to understand the disease better, resulting in early detection and treatment.

• For instance, in November 2022, the University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute launched the Hansen’s disease research team to respond to a rise in Hansen’s disease cases and address gaps in its research. This will help medical professionals recognize its early symptoms, such as the loss of sensation and skin lesions, to prevent delays in diagnosis.

As a result, an emphasis on research studies is expected to help the key players develop highly effective therapeutics for Hansen’s disease. This is anticipated to fuel the regional market growth over the forthcoming years.

The Asia Pacific market is projected to expand at a substantial CAGR in the forthcoming years. The surge in the number of conferences in the region further boosts the awareness of Hansen’s disease treatment. Moreover, these conferences inspire the key players to launch highly effective drugs, advancing the treatment of Hansen’s disease. This is expected to increase the availability of Hansen’s disease drugs in the region, thereby propelling the market growth. 

• For instance, in November 2022, Cadila Pharmaceuticals was felicitated at the International Leprosy Congress (ILC) in Hyderabad, India. The company is significantly working on the development of novel drugs to alleviate the pain and suffering of individuals affected by Hansen’s disease.

Key Players Covered

The report include the profiles of key players such as Abbott, GSK plc, Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Novartis AG, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Sangrose Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Midas Pharma GmbH, AdvaCare Pharma, and Amgen Inc.

Key Industry Developments

• In February 2024, Mankind Pharma entered into a strategic partnership with Lepra Society to launch a comprehensive initiative with the goal of raising awareness, eradicating, and treating Hansen’s Disease.


• In December 2021, Midas Pharma GmbH announced that it received the Certificate of Suitability (CEP) for its API (Clofazimine) from the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM). This antimycobacterial drug has been used in the treatment of Hansen’s disease for several decades.

In February 2021, Novartis AG extended its partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) to donate multidrug therapy (MDT) medicines globally to treat Hansen’s disease till 2025.