Global Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market Size By Product Type (Antioxidants, Biguanides), By Stage (Cirrhosis, Fibrosis), By Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacy, Drug Stores), By Disease Cause (Obesity, Heart Disease), By Geographic Scope And Forecast

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market Size And Forecast

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market size was valued at USD 19.97 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 28.08 Billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 4.80% from 2024 to 2031.

Obesity has turned out to be one of the majorly growing concerns in the current world. The rising prevalence of obesity is one of the key factors to drive up the market demand for drugs for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease throughout the globe. According to the American Diabetes Association, about 9% of US people have diabetes, the 7th leading cause of death in the country. One of the major characteristics of NAFLD is the deposition of fat in the liver cells. Increased awareness, health consciousness, government initiatives, R&D and pipeline of drugs from several pharmaceutical companies, and constant innovation and support from government agencies like the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) are predicted to be the driving factor for the market.

Global Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market Definition

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a very common disorder, characterized by excessive fat accumulation in liver cells. As the name suggests, this is mainly found in people who either don’t drink or drink very less amount of alcohol. NAFLD can be seen to develop in stages. The first stage is being fatty liver which is a harmless buildup of fat cells seen in the liver. The second stage is non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In this kind of condition inflammation and cell damage are seen in the liver with fat deposition. Cirrhosis is a more advanced and severe stage, where a patient can experience permanent liver damage followed by liver failure.

Non-specific symptoms like sudden weight loss, weakness, tiredness, dull aching pain on the right side of the stomach, and others make early diagnosis very difficult. Hence, it is also called silent liver disease, where, patients remain unaware of their conditions and fall at the risk of acquiring the severity of the disease. Although no specified diagnostic procedure is still been approved for NAFLD, still a combination of tests like blood tests, abdominal ultrasound, MRI scans, CT scans, and liver biopsies can help in the diagnosis of the disease. People having overweight or obese, diabetes, insulin resistance, and high levels of triglycerides/cholesterol in their blood are more prone to get affected. As per the American College of Gastroenterology, 2/3rd of obese adults and ½ of obese children may have fatty liver.

Global Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market Overview

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a very common disorder and mainly in Western nations and predominant in industrialized nations. Additionally, in the United States, it is perceived as the most common form of chronic liver disease, which affects about 30% of the population. As per the American College of Gastroenterology, NAFLD has the potential to affect as many as 1 in 3 to 1 in 5 adults and around 1 in 10 children in the United States.

The rise in obesity and diabetes boosts the Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market. As per the analysis by World Health Organization, a tripling of count has been experienced in obesity all over the world between 1975 to 2016. More than 1.9 billion adults accounting for about 39% of the adult population were overweight, 650 million adults accounting for 13% of the adult population and 41 million children were found obese in 2016. From the data, it can be said that the major driving factor for the NAFLD Market is the rise of obesity globally.

The surge in diabetes and obesity, improved awareness of NASH, huge R&D investment, government initiatives, and initiatives taken by the World Health Organization are expected to be the major drivers of the market. To increase physical activities globally, WHO launched the “Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030more active people for a healthier world” in order to provide effective and feasible policy actions. Major pharmaceutical companies in this segment like Pfizer, Roche, Torrent, Merck, and Gilead amongst others are spending hugely on the R&D of drugs and many drugs are currently in pipeline to get approval.

Additionally, various research and development activities are constantly getting done by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). They are also involved in supporting research for various disease conditions. However, the lack of proper diagnostic tests and the slow approval process of newer and specified drugs can hinder the growth of the market. Poor quality of leading daily life, bad diet, and uncontrolled lifestyle can further increase the market growth and with the introduction of the new drugs, new opportunities are going to come into the market. On the contrary, the high cost incurred for the R&D and slow approval will definitely force companies to keep a high price when marketing, which can be a greater challenge for the market.

Global Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market Segmentation Analysis

The Global Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market is segmented On The Basis of Product Type, Stage, Distribution Channel, Disease Cause, And Geography.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market, By Product Type

• Antioxidants• Biguanides• Lipid lowering agents• FXR receptor agonists• Thiazolidinedione• Others

Based on Product Type, the market is bifurcated into Antioxidants, Biguanides, Lipid lowering agents, FXR receptor agonists, Thiazolidinedione, and others. The biguanides segment holds the highest market share as of 2021 and is expected to keep its position intact over the forecast period due to its wide range of management of NAFLD. Ocaliva, a drug of FXR receptor agonists class remains the only FDA-approved second-line therapy for the treatment of cirrhosis and Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market, By Stage

• Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)• Cirrhosis• Fibrosis

Based on Stage, the market is segmented into Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), Fibrosis, And Cirrhosis. Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis accounts for the biggest contribution in this segment due to the increased prevalence of obesity.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market, By Distribution Channel

• Hospital Pharmacy• Drug Stores• Retail Pharmacy• E-Pharmacy• Others

Based on Distribution Channel, the market is bifurcated into Hospital pharmacy, Drug stores, Retail pharmacy, E-pharmacy, and others. As of 2019, hospital and retail pharmacy segments have shown good results in this segment and are expected to keep their dominance in the forecasted period due to the strong presence of hospital pharmacies, drug stores & retail pharmacies around the world. However, in the post-pandemic scenario, due to high awareness and increasing preference, the e-pharmacy segment is expected to experience the fastest growth.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market, By Disease Cause

• Obesity• Heart Disease• High Blood Lipid• Hypertension• Diabetes Type II• Others

On the basis of disease cause, the market is classified into obesity, heart disease, high blood lipid, hypertension, diabetes type II, and others. Due to the increase in leading poor lifestyles, consumption of junk food, and soft drinks stands out to be the contributor in the market. Ongoing stress levels and insulin are also turning out to be major factors for the market to grow.

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market, By Geography

• North America• Europe• Asia Pacific• Rest of the world

On the basis of Geography, the Global Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the world. North America dominated the market in 2017 with a significant share. According to the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, the prevalence of NASH in the general population of the United States was approximately 30% and almost 100 million are estimated to be affected by it. The Asia-Pacific region is expected to have the highest CAGR in the forecasted period. Factors including developing and emerging economies, healthcare infrastructure, and growth rate of diagnosis are anticipated to support the growth of the Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market in this region. Increasing healthcare awareness in emerging economies like India and China can drive up the market further in this region. Government grants are also expected to fuel the growth of the market in this region.

Key Players

The “Global Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Drug Market” study report will provide a valuable insight with an emphasis on the global market. The major players in the market are Pfizer Inc., Takeda, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Roche, AstraZeneca, Novartis AG, Merck & Co., Inc., AbbVie Inc., and Gilead Sciences, Inc. Intercept has recently got the nod from FDA for its Ocaliva, for the second-line treatment for cirrhosis and Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).

Our market analysis also entails a section solely dedicated for such major players wherein our analysts provide an insight to the financial statements of all the major players, along with its product benchmarking and SWOT analysis. The competitive landscape section also includes key development strategies, market share and market ranking analysis of the above-mentioned players globally.

Key Developments

• In April 2022, Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. acquired the patent termed “Methods and Compositions for Treating NAFLD, Hepatic Steatosis, and Sequelae Thereof” from European Patent Office. They have developed oral protein delivery platform technology which protects therapeutic proteins in the digestive system.

• In May 2021, Intercept updated their prescribing information for Ocalvia due to the contraindications found in the Adverse Event monitoring system.

Report Scope

Research Methodology of Market Research

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