Biogen Idec''s Tecfidera, the third-to-market oral
disease-modifying therapy (DMT), has become the patient share leader
among the oral options available for the treatment of relapsing forms of
multiple sclerosis (MS) ten months post-launch, according to surveyed
U.S. neurologists. Tecfidera currently captures 10 percent of weighted
U.S. patient share compared to 7 percent for Novartis''s Gilenya and 3
percent for Sanofi/Genzyme''s Aubagio. With the oral DMT class uptake,
platform injectable DMT shares continue to decrease with neurologists
reporting a significant decline in Bayer HealthCare''s Betaseron share
compared to a year ago. Regardless of the market changes, Teva''s
Copaxone and Biogen Idec''s Avonex maintain their position as the
patient share market leaders.
Copaxone: Copaxone 40 mg
three-times-weekly (3TW), which was approved and launched just prior to
the fielding of this survey, captures 6 percent of both recent
first-line and switch starts among relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS)
patients. With no increase in patient share of the brand franchise
compared to previous waves, early prescribing of the new formulation
appears to be primarily coming from Copaxone 20 mg switches.
Tecfidera,
Gilenya and Tysabri: Suggesting a shift in neurologists'' perceptions
of the RR-MS treatment paradigm over the past six months, significantly
more neurologists now report Tecfidera as their preferred second-line
DMT and Gilenya or Biogen Idec''s Tysabri as their preferred third-line
option for RR-MS patients.
Emerging monoclonal
antibodies: Surveyed U.S. neurologists estimate a higher potential peak
patient share for the emerging monoclonal antibodies among
primary–progressive MS (PP-MS) patients compared to RR-MS patients. This
separation is most apparent for Roche/Genentech''s ocrelizumab possibly
due to the product''s ongoing clinical development programs for
PP-MS—an indication that 81 percent of neurologists agree they would
find highly desirable in a new DMT.
"In line with
Teva''s aim to switch 45 percent of Copaxone-treated patients to the new
formulation within the next few months, surveyed neurologists estimate
that 48 percent of patients currently prescribed Copaxone 20 mg will be
switched to Copaxone 40 mg 3TW by the end of the year. The remaining
patients are anticipated to either stay on the 20 mg formulation, switch
to generic glatiramer acetate (if launched in June), or switch to
another branded DMT."
"Reflecting the changing dynamics
in the MS market, significantly more neurologists report being most
likely to initiate Avonex and Betaseron when managed care requires step
therapy compared to a year ago, suggesting that cost controls may be
driving some of these agents'' continued use."
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