Dive Brief:
According to a new report from PhRMA, there are currently 435 medications in advanced clinical development that target the 15 leading chronic conditions affecting older people.
- The medications that have been developed are designed to treat diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- According to the National Council on Aging, 75% of healthcare spending is on chronic diseases.
Dive Insight:
Despite the uproar over the cost of specialized drugs, such as Gilead’s Sovaldi and certain cancer drugs, the bulk of healthcare spending is for chronic diseases. For older Americans, 95% of healthcare costs are for the treatment of chronic conditions. In fact, 92% of adults aged 65 and older have at least one chronic condition and 77% have at least two.
While many of the new medications bring innovative approaches to the treatment of various chronic conditions, one that may change the standard of care that has generated buzz is a drug for Alzheimer’s disease that inhibits beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme—and potentially modifies disease progression.