Inhalation Anesthesia Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Application (Induction, Maintenance), By Product (Sevoflurane, Desflurane, Isoflurane), And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global inhalation anesthesia market size was valued at USD 1.1 billion in 2017 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 3.5% over the forecast period. Increase in number of surgeries, better patient outcomes resulting from inhalation anesthesia as compared to intravenous variants, and increased concern about delirium are some of the factors expected to drive the market over the forecast period.

Short duration of action and predictable nature of these drugs will also up their adoption among patients, thereby fueling market growth. These are administered via breathing process, thus enabling efficient control over sedation, which helps avoid insufficient and excess delirium. This, in turn, has led to it becoming a preferred option among surgeons.

Isoflurane is one of the oldest drugs in this category; it is potent and acts efficiently even in low doses. It is preferred for patients with impaired hepatic and renal function as it is eliminated via lungs and is expected to reduce excess sedation time, and in turn reduce total hospital care cost. Currently, the market is witnessing the launch of multiple generic molecules, which are expected to enhance adoption of these drugs. For e.g., Piramal Enterprises Limited is expected to launch its generic version of Desflurane in U.S. in 2018.

The number of patients being operated for orthopedic, cardiovascular, and general surgeries is increasing. According to WHO, the number of surgeries performed in 2012 was 313 million, rising at a 38.2% growth from 226.4 million in 2004. Rising number of surgical patients is expected to increase demand for these drugs. Moreover, adoption of these drugs in veterinary field is increasing; this is anticipated to promote growth opportunities for manufacturers worldwide.

Product Insights

Sevoflurane accounted for 70.0% of the revenue in 2017 and is expected to dominate the market over the forecast period. This is attributed to its qualities like easy control and maintenance of sedation, shorter wake-up time, and lower resistance as compared to other drugs. Increase in awareness about delirium, which may lead to prolonged hospital stays, is expected to further drive the adoption of inhalation anesthesia drugs over the forecast period. Some of the companies manufacturing generics in the global market are Piramal Enterprises Limited, Halocarbon Products Corporation, Baxter, and Lunan Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd.

Inhalation anesthesia drugs have better outcomes as compared to intravenous drugs, as they are eliminated via pulmonary ventilation and do not react with other drugs. Hence, it is the preferred choice for patients who are already concurrently on multiple medications.

Isoflurane is anticipated to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period, expanding at a CAGR of 6.5%, owing to factors such as lower cost of the drug, no active metabolites formed, lower drug resistance, and higher patient outcome in patients with renal impairments. Thus, due to the lower cost of isoflurane, its adoption is expected to increase within the cost-sensitive patient pool. For sevoflurane and desflurane, newer available agents might be preferred by anesthesiologists in developed economies due to favorable reimbursement framework.

Application Insights

On the basis of application, the global inhalation anesthesia market is segmented into induction and maintenance. This market is dominated by the maintenance segment, which accounted for about 87.7% of the revenue in 2017 owing to higher volume consumption. The induction segment is anticipated to witness the fastest growth over the forecast period, with a CAGR of 4.8%. Inhalation anesthesia drugs are used for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia during orthopedic and cardiovascular procedures, owing to its smaller dosage as compared to that of intravenous drugs.

According to CNS drug reviews, desflurane and sevoflurane have low blood–gas partition coefficient as compared to other products, which is crucial to provide appropriate dose of anesthesia. As these agents provide faster induction and recovery from anesthesia, it gives them a greater comparative advantage over other drugs. This, in turn, is expected to fuel demand for these anesthetics in the coming years.

Regional Insights

In 2017, North America accounted for the highest revenue share in the global market and held a 40.6% revenue share in 2017. High public and private healthcare expenditure, rising preference for drugs with predictable wake-up time, and an in surgical procedures requiring anesthesia are key factors contributing to the growth of the North America market.

U.S. alone accounted for close to 90.0 % of the North America market in 2017, owing to factors such as higher penetration of these drugs, increasing awareness about advantages of inhalation anesthesia over intravenous anesthesia, and higher preference for these drugs over other alternatives. Europe is estimated to be the second-largest market, accounting for 26.7% of the total revenue in 2017, due to higher demand for drugs used for general anesthesia.

Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness the fastest growth with CAGR of 4.0% over the forecast period. This can be attributed to rising healthcare expenditure in countries such as China and India. Healthcare tourism is India is another factor promoting revenue growth. Japan has one of the most developed healthcare systems and has a higher penetration of these drugs for induction and maintenance, which is expected to create lucrative opportunities for drug manufacturers in the region.

Inhalation Anesthesia Market Share Insights

The global market is oligopolistic in nature and is dominated by companies such as AbbVie Inc.; Baxter; and Piramal Enterprises Limited. Other companies operating in this market are Halocarbon Products Corporation, Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, Lunan Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co. Ltd., and Fresenius Kabi Ag. Competition in this market is expected to increase over the forecast period owing to launch of various generic drugs.

In 2016, about 92.3% of the market was dominated by AbbVie Inc.; Baxter; and Piramal Enterprises Limited, due to their innovative brands such as Ultane and Suprane. These brands are expected to significantly contribute to the overall revenue over the forecast.

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis on latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2014 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global inhalation anesthesia market report on the basis of product, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume (000’ Units); Revenue (USD Million), 2014 - 2025)

  • Sevoflurane

  • Desflurane

  • Isoflurane

• Application Outlook (Volume (000’ Units); Revenue (USD Million), 2014 - 2025)

  • Induction

  • Maintenance

• Regional Outlook (Volume (000’ Units); Revenue (USD Million), 2014 - 2025)

  • North America

    • U.S.

    • Canada

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • France

    • Spain

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

  • Latin America

    • Brazil

    • Mexico

  • Middle East & Africa

    • South Africa