“Ebola virus disease (EVD), also known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), results from Ebola virus and three other closely related viruses in the genes (group of related viruses) of ebola virus. Initial symptoms of this disease include sore throat, headaches, fever and muscles pain. It causes hemorrhagic fever that leads to internal or external bleeding. EVD is widely prevalent in Central and Western Africa, and near tropical rainforests. Due to high mortality rate and unavailability of effective treatments, the pharmaceutical companies have big opportunities to explore. Tekmira Pharmaceuticals, BioCryst Pharmaceutical Inc., Serepata Therapeutics, NewLink Genetics and Mapp Biopharmaceutical are some of the leading companies focusing on research activities to develop efficacious medicine for EVD. Additionally, the governments in the developed countries have also taken formidable steps to support the research activities for the development of EVD therapeutics by providing funding and floating favorable policies. As an example, Tekmira Pharmaceuticals has received fast-track designation from U.S. food and drug administration for their anti-ebola therapeutic TKM-ebola. In 2012, Sarepta Therapeutics had also received fast track designation for AVI-7537, a lead drug candidate for EVD. Both these companies are developing their anti-ebola products under the contract of the U.S. department of defense (DoD).
Ebola therapeutics and vaccines market is segmented on the basis of geography into North America, Europe, Asia-pacific and LAMEA. EVD is rampant in LAMEA regions, specifically in African countries. This is a positive sign for pharmaceutical companies, portraying a highly lucrative market in the future. Earlier, US government did not have any regulations for EVD therapeutics due to negligible incidences of this disease in developed economies. However, preference of African people to migrate to developed economies rather than developing economies has cautioned the...