Long-acting Beta-agonists Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• An increase in Medicare and Medicaid programs: The aspect of Medicare Part D spending, government expenditure on healthcare, including generic and branded drug combinations such as fluticasone/salmeterol and budesonide/formoterol, which positively impacts the market. According to an article published by NLM in October 2024, Medicare Part D accounts for USD 13.3 billion, and there has also been an increase in insulin prices by 250%. Besides, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has imposed penalties, leading to a surge in prices, with a USD 35 per month cap.
• Proven hospitalization reduction and cost efficiency: This has a great influence on the market, resulting in the early application of LABA drugs for patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases. As stated in the February 2025 NLM article, the ICS/LABA prescription in Canada caters to 37.4% of its population, along with 48.0% for ICS/LABA and SABA maintenance and 56.2% in the U.S. Meanwhile, in China, the ICS/LABA as maintenance accounts for 59.5% of patients, while 70.7% in Japan, thereby suitable for uplifting the overall market internationally.
• Expansion in healthcare accessibility: This is extremely essential for the long-acting beta-agonists (LABA) market since it readily promotes public health, enables early disease management, and diminishes premature disability and deaths. As per the June 2024 ASPE Government article, the national uninsured rate in America has reached 7.7%, while marketplaces have successfully expanded insurance coverage from 12 million to more than 21 million, denoting an increase of over 77%. Besides, there has been a surge in people’s enrollment in the ACA Medicaid by almost 50% between 2020 and 2024, accounting for 15.5 million to 23.2 million, thus creating an optimistic outlook for the overall market.

Asthma Death Rates Among Different Individual Categories (2024)

Source: America Lung Association

Challenges

• Pricing limitations in government-based healthcare systems: The government in Europe has made stringent price caps on LABA drugs through reference pricing systems and centralized negotiations that have reshaped flexibility in manufacturers’ pricing. In 2023, different organizations have addressed these gaps by numerous approaches, including tactical collaborations with national health agencies in France and Italy to achieve comprehensive formulator inclusion. This sudden transition has permitted manufacturers to combat the reimbursement restrictions and effectively maintain a competitive position, thus suitable for the market.
• Patient cost-effectiveness and out-of-pocket expenses: In markets such as the U.S., co-insurance and high deductibles place a huge financial burden on patients, resulting in non-adherence and prescription abandonment. Besides, even if a LABA is covered on an insurance formulary, it might be placed on an increased cost-sharing tier. This has effectively limited the product’s uptake since patients are unable to afford their respective portion of the expense, thereby causing a hindrance in the market. However, manufacturers utilize copay assistance programs to overcome this barrier, but these are frequently unavailable to Medicaid or Medicare patients, leading to a significant accessibility barrier for vulnerable populations.