The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is at the forefront of Parkinson's disease clinical trials, commanding 44% of the global trial landscape, according to a new report by Novotech. Within APAC, China has been the dominant force, hosting 56% of Parkinson's disease trials since 2019. This surge in clinical research activity in APAC underscores the region's growing importance in the fight against this debilitating neurodegenerative disorder.
Regional Distribution of Clinical Trials
Following APAC, North America accounts for 26% of global Parkinson's disease clinical trials, with the United States contributing the lion's share at 82%. Canada accounts for 17% and Mexico 1%. Europe hosts 25% of the trials, led by the UK with 14%, followed by Russia and Spain, each with 10%. The remaining 5% of trials are distributed across the rest of the world, with Israel and Iran leading in this category.
The Novotech report highlights a correlation between recruitment trends and trial locations, noting regional differences in recruitment metrics since 2019. The US exhibits the longest mean trial duration at 15.63 months, while Europe demonstrates the shortest at 13.28 months. Europe also boasts high recruitment efficiency, characterized by faster recruitment durations and patient recruitment rates.
Recruitment Efficiency in Europe
Europe recorded the highest number of subjects per site per month, with 1.76. According to the report, this is attributable to multi-country trials, which provide access to a larger patient population and experienced trial sites. Efficient research infrastructure, fewer competing trials compared to the US, and the highest disease incidence contribute to faster and more consistent recruitment in Europe compared to the US and APAC regions.
Opportunities in APAC
Despite its leading position in trial volume, APAC exhibits a trial density five times lower than that of the US and approximately half that of Europe. This disparity underscores the need for scaling up research efforts and implementing more targeted medical interventions in the region. China, Japan, and Australia are identified as key countries within APAC that present a prime opportunity for Parkinson's disease trials, representing the region's diverse patient population.
Global Parkinson's Disease Pipeline
Globally, there are 64 drug candidates in research for Parkinson's disease, with 145 in the preclinical stage and 52 in Phase I trials. An additional 70 drugs are in Phase II trials. However, UCB recently dropped the development of minzasolmin after the ORCHESTRA study failed to meet its primary and secondary endpoints. Currently, seven drug candidates are in Phase III trials, alongside 40 drugs already on the market.
Parkinson's Disease Prevalence
According to GlobalData, the diagnosed prevalent cases of Parkinson's disease in the seven major markets (the US, 5EU (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK), and Japan) are projected to grow at an annual growth rate (AGR) of 1.94% between 2023 and 2033, increasing from 2.64 million to 3.15 million cases.
