Background
The primary objective of the Progression of Modern Therapeutics project has been to provide visual illustrations of the significant differences in new drug approvals across the different therapeutic classes. The 2015 Report: Progression of Modern Therapeutics, issued in January 2016 (1), covered 40 therapeutic classes from 14 therapeutic categories. A following report, Great Variability in New Drug Approvals Among Pharmacologic Classes and Therapeutic Classes, posted in February 2016 (2), presented a further analysis of the significant variability in new drug approvals among the different therapeutic and pharmacologic classes. A secondary objective of this project is to provide support for the Therapeutic Response Characteristics project, which concerns therapeutic response to approved drugs.
The purpose of the present post, Snapshots from Progression of Modern Therapeutics, is to provide four snapshots of noteworthy patterns observed in new drug registration activities.
Methodology
The four snapshots presented are based on the data and graphs for the individual therapeutic classes covered in the 2015 Report. Following general inspection of the individual 40 graphs, looking for readily noticeable patterns involving two key pharmacologic classes within each therapeutic class, it was decided for the purposes of this post to focus on four patterns. Thus, each snapshot illustrates a specific pattern, observed for two pharmacologic classes for each of two therapeutic classes. The circles representing the individual approved new drugs of interest were copied from the original graphs, but for visual clarity, their names were not included. For consistency sake, the pharmacologic classes with first approvals are colored red, but those that follow are colored blue. Otherwise the framework is the same as that of the original graphs. The general methodology used in this project is described in the 2015 Report, including definitions of the timeframe for modern therapeutics and what approved new drugs are included; the snapshots were generated using Omnigraffle Pro (The Omni Group, Seattle).
Snapshots
Below are the four Snapshots from Progression of Modern Therapeutics (2015 Report), each illustrating a specific pattern in registration activities of modern therapeutics:
Snapshot #1: Two therapeutic classes showing two key pharmacologic classes with no overlaps in registration activities, i.e., H2 Receptor Antagonists and Proton Pump Inhibitors for Acid Reflux and Ulcer Disease, and Benzodiazepines and Non-benzodiazepines for Insomnia. Both examples show an abrupt switch in new drug approvals from older pharmacologic classes to newer pharmacologic classes. For a larger graph click here.
Snapshot #2: Two therapeutic classes showing two key pharmacologic classes with overlaps in registration activities, i.e., Corticosteroids and Beta-2 Adrenergic Agonists for Asthma, and SSRI’s and SNRI’s for Depression. Both examples show concurrent new drug approvals for two dominant or somewhat similar pharmacologic classes or mechanisms of action. For a larger graph click here.
Snapshot #3: Two therapeutic classes showing an older dominant pharmacologic class and a new pharmacologic class with no overlaps in registration activities, i.e., HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors and PCSK9 Inhibitors for Dyslipidemia, and TNF Inhibitors and JAK Inhibitors for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Both examples show the introducion of new noteworthy pharmacologic classes or mechanisms of action following many drug approvals involving dominant pharmacologic classes. For a larger graph click here.
Snapshot #4: Two therapeutic classes showing two new pharmacologic classes with overlaps in registration activities, i.e., DPP-4 Inhibitors and SGLT2 Inhibitors for Type-2 Diabetes, and NS3 Protease Inhibitors and NS5B Polymerase Inhibitors for Hepatitis C. Both examples show the recent introduction of two new pharmacologic classes or mechanisms of action. For a larger graph click here.
Comments
This report has focused on illustrating specific patters in registration activities of modern therapeutics, showing that in addition to the wide variability in new drug approvals for the different therapeutic classes, there also are discernible patterns in registration activities across therapeutic classes. It is recognized that there may be different reasons behind such patterns, e.g., the number of new drugs already approved, technical feasibility of new pharmacologic targets, and commercial considerations. The registration activities patterns illustrated here were selected for their relative obviousness, but there are undoubtedly several other patterns in registration activities of modern therapeutics.
References
- 2015 Report: Progression of Modern Therapeutics. https://tri-institute.org/4mH3e. January 2016, or click on the report directly: Progression of Modern Therapeutics (2015 Report)
- Great Variability in New Drug Approvals Among Pharmacologic Classes and Therapeutic Classes. https://tri-institute.org/tsv1K. February 2016.
