Pipeline Monitor reveals growth in clinical trials, highlighting impactful treatments on the horizon
The Patented Medicine Prices Review Board’s latest Meds Pipeline Monitor offers a detailed overview of medicines in advanced stages of clinical evaluation that could shape clinical practices and influence drug spending in the years ahead.
According to the report, the drug pipeline has expanded steadily, with over 12,000 new medicines in clinical trials in 2023, marking an annual growth rate of 19 percent since 2019.
Oncology dominates this pipeline, accounting for one third (33 percent) of all medicines in clinical trials across various stages.
Following oncology, treatments for infectious diseases and central nervous system diseases represent the second and third largest categories, comprising 13 percent and 12 percent of the pipeline, respectively.
This year’s Meds Pipeline Monitor primarily emphasizes novel drugs undergoing Phase III trials or pre-registration with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023. The report also examines select Phase II drugs that share similar mechanisms of action or indications.
Additionally, the report outlines a list of potentially impactful medicines currently under review by Health Canada.
The pipeline’s rapid expansion is illustrated by the increase from 9,000 drugs in 2022 to over 12,000 in 2023. Notably, approximately 20 percent of medicines in Phase III trials or pre-registration received early orphan designation from either the FDA or the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
However, this percentage reflects a 33 percent decrease compared to previous years.
Among the report’s highlights, twenty new medicines are spotlighted for their anticipated impact on Canada’s healthcare system. Of these, fourteen are projected to achieve global annual revenues exceeding US$1bn by 2029.
From the 51 new and retained medicines listed in the previous edition of the Meds Pipeline Monitor, 15 received market authorization, while 23 are included again this year based on continued promising evidence.
13 medicines were removed due to discontinued clinical trials or no longer meeting selection criteria.
