The expending growth of pipeline for Cushing’s syndrome
therapeutics is attributed to the increase in prevalence of inflammatory
disorders. For the treatment of various inflammatory disorders patients use
corticosteroids, the long-term use of corticosteroids can lead to Cushing’s
syndrome. In many diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis,
corticosteroids are being used, for a lifelong period but at low doses. However,
when the disease fails to respond to lower doses of corticosteroids, the dose
needs to be increased. The pipeline for Cushing’s syndrome is majorly driven by
factors such as, increasing healthcare awareness in patients and the occurrence
of abnormal growth of cells in pituitary gland which can further lead to the formation
of tumour.
Cushing’s syndrome is a condition that occurs when a person
is exposed to the hormone cortisol at a very high level, for a longer period of
time, this is sometimes called as hypercortisolism. It mostly affects obese
people at the aged between 20 to 50 years, who have type 2 diabetes and high
blood pressure. The symptoms of the Cushing’s syndrome, include, round face,
upper body obesity, deposition of fat around neck and relatively lean arms and
legs. In some cases, skin of the patients become fragile, heals poorly, bruises
easily and purple or pink marks appear on the abdomen, buttocks, thigh and
breast. Bones become weakened and spinal and column fracture can occur when
person is doing any routine activity like bending, lifting etc. Other symptoms
include severe fatigue, increased thirst and urination, irritability, anxiety,
depression and weak muscles.
In April 2012, Strongbridge Biopharma Plc was in the
process of collaboration with Moulder Center Drug Discovery for the development
of new therapies of cortisol modulation for Cushing syndrome therapeutics. In
July 2014, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced
that the companies are undergoing a strategic immuno-oncology collaboration in
Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, which includes the development and
commercialization of immune mediated endocrinopathies. In September 2008, Corcept
Therapeutics and Eli Lilly and Company announced that the companies would
continue the collaboration for testing the effectiveness of GRII receptor
antagonist in rat models of olanzapine induced weight gain.
Some
of the companies having a pipeline of Cushing’s syndrome therapeutics include Corcept
Therapeutics, Millendo Therapeutics, Inc., Strongbridge Biopharma Plc, Novartis
AG. Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.
