Drivers, players in artificial disc replacement market

According to research from GlobalData, the North American artificial disc replacement (ADR) market – Canada, Mexico, United States – is set to more than double from $274.6 million in 2016 to $614.5 million by 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate of 12.2%.

Key drivers of the market include:

• Growing prevalence of degenerative spinal conditions due to the aging population
• Advantages over traditional spinal fusion procedures

Growing aging populations worldwide are driving the expansion of specific disease populations, including degenerative spinal diseases and disorders. Spinal pathology management has traditionally centered on decompression, correction of deformity, and stabilization. Spinal fusion is currently considered the gold standard in degenerative disc disease treatment, accomplishing both deformity correction and stabilization. However, sequelae associated with a successful fusion procedure have driven attention towards non-fusion technologies, including artificial disc replacement (ADR), which are expected to challenge the growth of spinal fusion during the forecast period. ADR technologies are marketed for both the cervical and lumbar spine, and share the common goal of replacing the patient’s disc while often differing in their designs and materials. Compared to lumbar ADR, cervical ADR receives wider popularity at present due to more widely appreciated clinical effectiveness and growing demand for two-level cervical ADR procedures.

Leading players in the global ADR market:

• DePuy Synthes
• Medtronic
• Globus Medical
• Zimmer Biomet

Jennifer Ryan, healthcare analyst for GlobalData, explains: “Currently, cervical disc replacement represents the most common spinal non-fusion procedure performed globally. Due to a growing body of evidence supporting clinical efficacy and improving reimbursement scenarios, the adoption of cervical ADR systems is expected to continue increasing through the forecast period. Additionally, approval for use of cervical systems in multi-level indication will also serve to drive growing adoption, as patients and physicians seek to avoid the motion-restricting effects of multi-level fusion.”

Although cervical ADR is expected to drive growth of the global spinal non-fusion market, lumbar ADR systems have not yet achieved significant market adoption. A scarcity of clinical evidence demonstrating superiority over spinal fusion, coupled with a more complicated implantation procedure, has contributed to slow adoption of lumbar ADR systems.

“Beyond these major players, the current market includes small- to mid-sized companies, many of which are focused on novel spine or spinal nonfusion devices. As the ADR market continues to attract new entrants, GlobalData expects to see an increase in mergers and acquisitions activity as the large players seek to expand their current product offerings through smaller players with innovative technologies,” Ryan says.