Herpes Simplex Virus Treatment Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022 - 2027)

Market Overview

The herpes simplex virus treatment market was valued at USD 2,215.34 million in 2021, and it is expected to record a CAGR of 5.71 % over the forecast period.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted market growth. The association of herpes simplex virus with the SARS-CoV-2 virus was established in many studies by the researcher, which impacted the market positively due to the rise in the demand of the anti-viral drugs for the treatment and further expected to drive growth in the studied market owing to the COVID-19 and its impact on the people with Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). For instance, according to the research study published in July 2021, titled “Herpes simplex and herpes zoster viruses in COVID-19 patients”, herpes simplex virus type-1 and varicella-zoster viruses are strongly associated with COVID-19 infection. The prevalence of the herpes simplex virus type-1 occurrence in the COVID-19 group was 2.81% compared to 0.77% in the hospital population odds ratio of 5.27. Thus, there was a rise in demand for herpes simplex virus treatment in the ongoing pandemic. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruption in the research and development activities of other therapies and drugs for medical conditions other than COVID-19 and impacted the treatment procedures and supply chain of the pharmaceuticals around the world, which impacted the herpes simplex virus treatment market.

The market's growth can be largely attributed to factors such as the growing burden of herpes simplex virus infections, including genital herpes, and increasing research and development activities. These factors are leading to increasing demand for herpes simplex virus treatment.

With the increasing burden of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections such as genital herpes, Herpes Simplex Virus type 1, and Herpes Simplex Virus type 2, around the world, the demand for HSV drugs and therapeutics is increasing rapidly, which is the prime factor expected to drive the growth of the herpes simplex virus treatment market around the world during the forecast period. Herpes Simplex Virus has two types, Herpes Simplex Virus -1 and Herpes Simplex Virus -2. According to a research study published in June 2021, titled “Epidemiology of herpes simplex virus type 2 in Asia: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression”, in Asia (including the World Health Organization regions of Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific), about 1 in 10 person is infected with Herpes Simplex Virus type-2 infection, and Herpes Simplex Virus type-2 accounts for about half of the genital ulcer disease (GUD) cases and three-quarters of genital herpes cases, due to which there is a need for a Herpes Simplex Virus -2 vaccine and universal access to sexual and reproductive health services, which is expected to boost the growth of the herpes simplex virus treatment market during the forecast period. Hence, a higher prevalence of the herpes simplex virus is expected to boost market growth.

Increasing research and development activities are also contributing to market growth. There is high potential in the herpes simplex virus treatment market owing to the huge burden of the herpes simplex virus infections on the healthcare systems around the world, leading to huge investments in the research and development of effective therapeutics for the infections, which is expected to boost the growth of the studied market over the forecast period. For instance, in February 2021, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) provided funding of EUR 2.34 million to Dr. Florian Full at the Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology at Universitätsklinkum Erlangen at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) for the development of a new drug against the herpes virus. The funding is for the next five years. The study's outcome may impact the market positively and thus boost the growth in the studied market.

However, the social stigma associated with sexually transmitted diseases, coupled with rising product recalls, is one of the major factors impeding the market’s growth.

Scope of the Report

As per the scope of the report, herpes is a type of sexually transmitted disease caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is categorized into two: Herpes Simplex Virus-1, which is found around the mouth, and Herpes Simplex Virus-2, which is found around the genital area. The global herpes simplex virus treatment market is segmented by drug (acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir, and other drugs), route of administration (oral, injection, and topical), and geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World). The report offers the value (in USD million) for the above segments.

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Key Market Trends

Acyclovir Segment is Expected to Hold a Significant Market Share in the Herpes Simplex Virus Treatment Market

Acyclovir, marketed as Zovirax/Sitavig, is one of the most preferred anti-viral agents used for the treatment of herpes, which is primarily used against oral herpes and herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). It is a purine nucleoside analog that enters viral DNA to restrict its replication process by converting it into acyclovir triphosphate.

According to the research study published in December 2019, titled “Omeprazole Increases the Efficacy of Acyclovir Against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and 2”, omeprazole exerted substantially stronger effects on acyclovir activity and increased acyclovir activity at lower concentrations, which resulted in an increase in the acyclovir-mediated effects on herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and -2) replication in a dose-dependent manner. The synergic effect of other drugs with acyclovir will lead to increased adoption of low concentration acyclovir medications to achieve safety and thereby lead to higher adoption and further expected to rise in growth of this segment over the forecast period.

Additionally, the ongoing research and development in the area and the launch of new drugs in the segment by the market players will further augment the growth of the acyclovir segment in the herpes simplex virus treatment market over the forecast period. For instance, in November 2020, AmnealPharmaceuticals received approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Acyclovir Cream, 5%. Acyclovir Cream, 5%, is the generic version of Zovirax for treating recurrent herpes labialis (cold sores) in immunocompetent adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older.

In April 2019, Fera Pharmaceuticals received orphan drug exclusivity from the US Food and Drug Administration for Avaclyr (acyclovir ophthalmic ointment), 3% for the treatment of herpetic keratitis (dendritic ulcers) in patients with herpes simplex (HSV-1 and HSV-2) virus. Therefore, due to the aforementioned factors, the acyclovir drug segment is expected to grow in the herpes simplex virus treatment market during the forecast period.

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