Staff in pharmaceutical jobs can expect to see the developmental treatment linaclotide dominate the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment market in the next ten years.
This is the prediction of sector analyst Decision Resources, which suggested that the new drug from Ironwood, Forest Laboratories, Almirall and Astellas will generate a blockbuster sales total of $1.1 billion (£707.4 million) from key territories by 2019.
Last month, new phase III clinical trial data was published for the drug which demonstrated its efficacy compared to placebo.
According to Decision Resources' report, the success of linaclotide will come at the expense of current market leader Amitiza, which is manufactured by Sucampo, Takeda and Abbott and will soon lose its patent protection.
In addition, the firm stated that it expects the IBS drug market to expand at an annual rate of 14 per cent from 2009 to 2019.
Dr Iva Holder, an analyst for Decision Resources, explained: "The limited number of efficacious treatment options suggests significant opportunity for new IBS therapies."