This Market Spotlight report covers the Cachexia market, comprising epidemiology, key marketed and pipeline drugs, clinical trials, upcoming events, probability of success, patent information, and licensing and acquisition deals.

Key Takeaways

• Oxandrin, an orally active formulation of the anabolic steroid oxandrolone, is the only marketed drug available for cachexia. Industry-sponsored drugs in active clinical development for cachexia are spread evenly across Phase I and Phase II, with only one drug in Phase III.
• Therapies in active clinical development for cachexia focus on targets such as ghrelin receptor, androgen receptors, and GDNF receptor alpha-like (GFRAL). These drugs are administered via the oral and subcutaneous routes.
• The only high-impact upcoming event for drugs in the cachexia space is topline Phase II trial results for GSK2881078. The overall likelihood of approval of a Phase I metabolic-other asset is 10.2%, and the average probability a drug advances from Phase III is 70.6%. Drugs, on average, take 8.8 years from Phase I to approval, compared to 9.0 years in the overall metabolic space.
• The distribution of clinical trials across Phase I–IV indicates that the majority of trials for cachexia have been in the early and midphases of development, with 66% of trials in Phase I–II, and only 34% in Phase III–IV.
• The US has a substantial lead in the number of cachexia clinical trials globally, while the UK leads the major European markets. Clinical trial activity in the cachexia space is dominated by completed trials. Helsinn and Bristol Myers Squibb have the highest number of completed clinical trials for cachexia, with six trials each.
• Helsinn leads industry sponsors with the highest overall number of clinical trials for cachexia, followed by Bristol Myers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline.