Increased awareness and diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis (SM), and the related development of new treatments for it, will significantly increase the market share of SM pharmaceuticals through 2034, according to a recent study published in Delveinsight.
“The factors that are expected to further accelerate the growth of the systemic mastocytosisMastocytosis Rare disease caused by the buildup of mast cells. Cutaneous mastocytosis primarily affects the skin and is more common in children, while systemic mastocytosis affects internal organs and is more common in adults. market during the forecast period (2024-2034) include the rising prevalence of systemic mastocytosis, increased awareness and diagnosis of the condition, advancements in treatment options, and the growing emphasis on personalized medicine,” the study said.
What is SM?
Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a rare hematological disease characterized by mast cells that are overactive and accumulate in different parts of the body such as the bone marrow, liver, spleen, gastrointestinal tract and lymph nodes.
An aging population and environmental factors are expected to increase the prevalence of SM in the next 10 years, the study said. Improved diagnostic criteria in recent years and more advanced diagnostic techniques could decrease the rate of patients with SM who are not adequately diagnosed.
Read more about SM treatment and care
SM is currently considered a rare disease with an incidence varying between 0.046 per 10,000 people in the United States to 10.6 per 100,000 in Spain, the study reported.
“This statistic highlights the rarity of Systemic Mastocytosis within the general population, underscoring the need for heightened awareness and understanding of the disease among healthcare professionals,” the study said.
Current clinical guidelines classify different types of SM: indolent systemic mastocytosis, smoldering SMSmoldering SM A subtype of nonadvanced SM, with a higher mast cell burden than the indolent subtype. Smoldering SM has a higher likelihood of progressing to an advanced form., aggressive SMAggressive SM A subtype of advanced SM marked by a high mast cell burden that leads to organ damage. Aggressive SM accounts for less than 10% of SM cases., SM with an associated hematological neoplasmSM with an associated hematological neoplasm A form of advanced SM and the second-most common subtype of SM overall. In this subtype, SM occurs alongside another blood disorder. Also called SM with an associated myeloid neoplasm. and mast cell leukemiaMast cell leukemia The most severe subtype of SM, caused by the rapid buildup of immature mast cells in the bone marrow and blood. Mast cell leukemia accounts for less than 5% of SM cases and has a poor prognosis.. Each subtype has specific therapeutic recommendations that reflect current trends focusing on personalized medicine.
In the last eight years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved two new drugs for the treatment of SM: midostaurin and avapritinib. The drugs are disease-modifying, meaning they target the specific molecular pathways responsible for the disease, marking a shift from previous approaches based mainly on symptom control.
To address certain limitations of available therapies such as a high incidence of adverse effects and treatment resistance in a percentage of patients, two new drugs — elenestinib and bezuclastinib — are currently being investigated in ongoing clinical trials, with promising results.
