Markets

While estimates differ, it is generally believed that around 30%-40% of the active ingredients used in modern medicines are derived from, or related to, plants.  Yet, only a small percentage of the Earth’s more than 250,000 flowering plants have been reviewed scientifically for their medicinal properties.  Taxoids from Taxus brevifolia and Taxus baccata, are for example used as anti-cancer agents and are very successful.  Taxol, for instance, generates sales of approximately US $1.5 billion annually.

The market for plant-derived medicines and preparations, “phytoceuticals”, is divided into the ethical (i.e., prescription) and non-ethical (i.e., non-prescription) segments.  The non-ethical segment often referred to as “herbal” or “botanical market segment,” differs dramatically from the ethical market by means of registration requirements, clinical data, and characterization of active ingredients, as well as sales and profit margins.  In the US, this non-ethical plant-derived market segment is also known as the Dietary Supplement market.  In Europe and other parts of the world, these herbal preparations are sold over-the-counter (“OTC”).

Phytrix  is committed to continue to develop plant derived prescription drugs for chronic and underserved diseases with the highest scientific standards.