AIDS Research to Focus on Management, Therapy.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 15, 1996--Although the spread of AIDS has slowed to 5 percent annual growth, the market to treat and research the virus is burgeoning, according to research by Frost & Sullivan.

Industry revenues of $1.3 billion in 1995 are expected to at least double by 2002, according to U.S. AIDS SCREENING, MONITORING, DIAGNOSTIC, AND THERAPEUTIC MARKET.

"The AIDS market is growing rapidly, and its potential has yet to be realized," said Amit Chatterjee, a medical analyst for Frost & Sullivan. While the therapeutic section of the AIDS market is booming and is responsible for most of the market growth, the diagnostic and monitoring sections are declining, or growing only minimally.

One of the most significant trends in AIDS research is the emergence of prophylactics in the Opportunistic Infections market. If the products being developed to treat the virus at the systemic level are successful, there should be a decrease in opportunistic infections. However, these drugs are expensive and threaten to strain the economic dynamics of the whole AIDS market.

Because the AIDS virus mutates constantly, researchers believe it is unlikely a perfect tool to combat the disease will ever be found. Disease management has become the most important aspect of the AIDS market, and new product introductions will be crucial to maintain the profitability of the pharmaceutical firms involved in AIDS research. According to Chatterjee, the first company to develop a product that effectively monitors HIV for the next phase of the disease's progression will meet financial success.

The report is believed to be the first on AIDS to examine the Opportunistic Infections market, as well as the only known AIDS tracking program for manufacturers.

Companies included in this study are: Abbott Laboratories, Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Astra USA, Inc., Avigen, Inc., Bayer, Inc. (formerly Miles Pharmaceuticals), Becton Dickinson Immunocytometry Systems, Biocine, Biogen, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., CEL-SCI Corp., Cell Genesys, Inc., Chiron Corp., Ciba-Geigy, Inc., Coulter Corp., Inc., Du Pont Co., Fujisawa U.S.A., Inc., Genentech, Inc., Genenvax (see Genentech Inc.), Genetic Systems Corp., Genetix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Glaxo-Wellcome, Inc., Hoffmann-La Roche, The Immune Response Corp., Immunex Corp., Imreg, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc., The Liposome Co., Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., MicroGeneSys, Inc., NeXstar, Inc., Novartis (Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz), Organon Teknika Corp., Ortho Diagnostic Systems, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Pharmacia and Upjohn, Ribi Immunochem Research, RPR Gencell., Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corp., Schering-Plough Corp., SyStemix, Inc., Targeted Genetics Corp., Therexsys, Transgne S.A., US Bioscience, Inc., Vertex Pharmaceutical, Inc., Viagene, Inc., Vical, Inc., and Waldheim, Inc.

Frost & Sullivan is an international marketing consulting company that monitors the medical industry for market trends, market measurements, and strategies. This ongoing research is utilized to update a series of research publications such as 5039-52, U.S. Sexually Transmitted Disease Diagnostic and Therapeutics Markets and 5481-52, U.S. Immunotherapy Agents Markets, and to support industry participants with customized consulting needs.

Free executive summaries of all Frost & Sullivan reports are available to the press.

Report: 5244-52 Publication Date: June 1996 Price: $5995

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