The patient populations for neuropathic and nociceptive pain are large, and are driven by separate disease trends that necessitate pain relief; across the seven major markets in 2005 it was estimated that 37.6m individuals suffered from neuropathic pain and 170.1m suffered from nociceptive pain. The major constituents of the neuropathic pain market are lower back pain, neuralgia/fibromyalgia, diabetic neuropathic pain and pain associated with multiple sclerosis. The nociceptive pain market is driven by the prevalence of the major indications of arthritic pain, particularly osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, post-operative pain, cancer-related pain and HIV-related pain. Current management of pain is mostly pharmacological consisting of the use of opioids, non-opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as well as adjuvant therapies such as anti-depressants and anti-convulsants. Although pain is not a new phenomenon, misdiagnosis and under-treatment continue to prove deleterious to the pain market. Increased education for patients, physicians, nurses and pharmacists is an on-going unmet need that must be addressed. Across the seven major markets, it is forecast that the prevalence of both the neuropathic and nociceptive markets will increase modestly. It is forecast that the prevalence of the neuropathic pain market will increase to 39.1m individuals, which is complimented by the forecast growth of the nociceptive market to include 164.8m individuals in 2011.
