Teva Pharmaceutical's Altered Peptide Ligand Copaxone Boasts the Greatest Patient Share Among First- and Second-Line Therapies for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
Posted on: Tuesday, 11 March 2008, 09:01 CDT
WALTHAM, Mass., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that Teva Pharmaceutical's Copaxone has the greatest patient share among first- and second-line therapies, and falls short of Merck Serono/Pfizer's Rebif (by 0.2 percent) in third-line treatment. However, in all three lines of therapy, the interferon-beta drug class (Biogen Idec's Avonex, Rebif, and Berlex's Betaseron) outpaces the altered peptide ligand drug class (consisting only of Copaxone) in patient share. Competition between the two drug classes is fiercest in first-line therapy.
"The low volume of patient share attributed to Avonex or Rebif compared with Copaxone in first- and second-line treatment illustrates a significant delay on the part of physicians and/or patients to engage in an interferon- beta therapy within a year of a patient's initial diagnosis for multiple sclerosis," said Madhuri Borde, analyst at Decision Resources. "However, the magnitudes of Rebif's first- and second-line patient shares suggest that some physicians are treating the disease more aggressively than might be expected, as this high-dose, high-frequency agent reaches patient shares close to and surpassing Avonex in first- and second-line treatment, respectively."
According to the new report entitled Treatment Algorithms in Multiple Sclerosis, neurologists note that Copaxone's better short-term and long-term side-effect/safety profile, together with its lower rate of induction of neutralizing antibodies, are critical reasons for choosing Copaxone instead of Avonex, Rebif and Betaseron. Although Copaxone is administered daily, 23-28 percent of neurologists we surveyed indicate that a key reason to prescribe the drug over any of the interferon-beta therapies is the drug's ability to foster greater patient compliance, an attribute that is closely tied to the Copaxone's lower incidence of flulike side effects.
About Treatment Algorithm Insight Series
Decision Resources combines in-depth primary research with the most extensive claims-based longitudinal patient-level data from PharMetrics(R) to provide exceptional insight into physicians' prescribing trends and the factors that drive therapy product choice, from diagnosis through multiple courses of treatment, for a specific disease.
For each disease examined, Decision Resources' Treatment Algorithm Insight Series provide the following:
-- Summary of U.S. medical practice based on interviews with leading experts in the field. -- Qualitative diagnosis/referral/treatment algorithm for the United States. -- Drug usage by lines of therapy (1st, 2nd, 3rd line). -- Discussion of key freeform combinations by lines of therapy. -- Product share (class and specific compound level) within each line of therapy (1st, 2nd, 3rd line). -- Progression of therapy from key 1st line products. -- Pathway to key therapies from previous therapies. -- Qualitative analysis of two-year forecast incorporating upcoming launches, changes in reimbursement, etc. About Decision Resources
Decision Resources, Inc., (http://www.decisionresources.com/) is a world leader in healthcare market research publications, advisory services, and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources, and master their chosen markets.
All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
For more information, contact: Elizabeth Marshall Decision Resources, Inc. 781-296-2563 emarshall@dresources.com
Decision Resources
CONTACT: Elizabeth Marshall of Decision Resources, Inc.,+1-781-296-2563, emarshall@dresources.com
Web site: http://www.decisionresources.com/
Source: PRNewswire
Related Articles
- Although Generic Erosion Looms for Risperdal, the Drug Remains First-Line Antipsychotic in the Treatment of Schizophrenia
- Target Product Profiles 2008 Colorectal Cancer Report Qualitatively Predicts the Market Potential of a Drug Fulfilling a Key Unmet Need
- The Effect of Drugs From Novartis and Sanofi-Aventis on Mortality Rates Will Drive Prescription Decisions in Hypertension Treatment
- Many Barriers to Patients' TB Treatment
- Can-Fite Presents Results Showing a Correlation Between High Expression of the Receptor Target for Its Drug CF101 and Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients' Response to the Drug
- The Cancer Cure Coalition Supports the Nomination of Dr. Andrew Von Eschenbach As Commissioner of the U.S. FDA and Calls for the Approval of Advexin, a New Gene Therapy Treatment for Cancer
- Treatment for Drug-Resistant HIV Developed
- Brookside Institute Advances Treatment of Drug and Alcohol Abuse With Science-Based Programs
- Complete Care Medical, Inc., Announces Accord Between Carepharm LLC and Patient Advocates for Prescription Drugs, Inc.; Agreement Expected to Immediately Increase Carepharm's Mail Order Pharmacy Business
- Zambian AIDS Patients to Receive Free Drugs
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds