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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Labels: Aubagio, Avonex, Copaxone, Gilenya, TECFIDERA, Tysabri