Abstract
Sleep disorders affect more than 200 million people worldwide. It is generally
accepted that insufficient sleep contributes significantly to automobile
accidents and fatalities, work-related injuries, mood depression, and, in
general, impaired health. Nevertheless, all sleep disorders are significantly
undertreated. This level of unmet need presents a significant market
opportunity, and sleep disorders increasingly attract the attention of
pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, the imminent patent expiration of the
blockbuster agent zolpidem (Sanofi-Aventis's Ambien) has attracted the
attention of generics manufacturers. Consequently, the sleep disorders market
is likely to experience great change over the next ten years. In this report,
we focus on the four sleep disorders thought to have major significance for
physical and mental health: insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome
(RLS), and sleep apnea. We examine their etiology and prevalence, current and
emerging therapies, the state of the current market, and the outlook for the
sleep disorders market in the United States, Europe, and Japan during the
period 2005-2015.