Are Beginning To Warehouse HCV Patients Until New Interferon-Free Regimens Are
Available, According to a Recently Published BioTrends Report
By BioTrends Research Group
BioTrends Research Group
Last
modified: 2013-05-23T14:10:59Z
Published:
Thursday, May. 23, 2013 - 7:10 am
Copyright 2013 . All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
EXTON, Pa., May 23, 2013 -- /PRNewswire/ --
BioTrends Research Group, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms
for specialized biopharmaceutical issues, finds that, unaided, one in five
surveyed gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and infectious disease specialists
reported that in the past six months, they have begun warehousing patients
(e.g., intentionally delaying treatment) in anticipation of the next generation
of HCV treatments—notably more physicians than six months ago, when only 6
percent reported that they had begun warehousing patients.
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Furthermore, only one in five physicians agrees that they are satisfied with
currently available treatment options, underscoring the high unmet need for
alternatives to treat chronic HCV infections. The trending analyses of
physician-reported anticipated prescribing in TreatmentTrends®:
Hepatitis C Virus (US), Wave 1 also finds
that, for the first time in a year, surveyed physicians are expecting to treat a
greater proportion of their genotype 1 (3 percent) and 2/3 (3 percent) patients
in the next six months with regimens that are not currently available. Unaided
responses from most physicians who expect to be using other treatments suggest
they are expecting products in development, potentially interferon-free
regimens, to be available for use in the next six months.
In aided physician responses, Gilead's sofosbuvir and Janssen/Medivir's
simeprevir garnered the highest degree of familiarity for use in HCV treatment,
followed closely by Bristol-Myers Squibb's daclatasvir and asunaprevir.
Additionally, 20 percent of the surveyed physicians believe that Gilead's
sofosbuvir is the most promising product in development, primarily due to its
favorable tolerability, oral dosing, pan-genotypic activity, and its possibility
to be utilized as an interferon-free regimen.
"The protease inhibitors, Vertex's Incivek and Merck's Victrelis, were very
important advances in the management of HCV infections," said BioTrends Research
Group Associate Director, Lynn Price. "However, there is still a clear unmet
need for alternative HCV therapies and the recent NDA filings for simeprevir and
sofosbuvir have physicians hopeful for new treatment options that are highly
efficacious and more tolerable than the currently available protease
inhibitors."
TreatmentTrends®:
Hepatitis C Virus (US), Wave 1 is a report
that covers the use of agents for the treatment of HCV infections. This
bi-annual study focuses on current and future use of leading HCV treatment
regimens, patient market share, perceived strengths and weaknesses of the key
brands, barriers to broader usage, sales force performance, and perceived value
of manufacturers' patient assistance programs. In addition, this report assesses
potential impact of regimens in development, including Abbott's ABT-267,
ABT-333, and ABT-450, Boehringer Ingelheim's BI-207127 and faldaprevir,
Bristol-Myers Squibb's asunaprevir and daclatasvir, Janssen's simeprevir, and
Gilead's sofosbuvir and ledipasvir. In the current wave of research, BioTrends
surveyed 101 U.S. gastroenterologists, hepatologists, and infectious disease
specialists in March 2013.
About BioTrends Research Group BioTrends Research Group provides
syndicated and custom primary market research to pharmaceutical manufacturers
competing in clinically evolving, specialty pharmaceutical markets. For
information on BioTrends publications and research capabilities, please contact
us at www.bio-trends.com.
BioTrends is a Decision Resources Group company.
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portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and
insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this
analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources
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