Novartis’s Gilenya MS Patient Share Growth in Europe Likely Driven by Improved Product Satisfaction and Efficacy …

EXTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BioTrends Research Group, one of the worlds leading research and advisory firms for specialized biopharmaceutical issues, finds that Novartiss Gilenya captures 5.4 percent of those multiple sclerosis (MS) patients treated with disease-modifying agents (DMAs) in the EU5 (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K.). This represents an increase from 2.3 percent share one year ago, with significant growth seen among relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), primary relapsing MS (PRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patient segments. Consistent with this growth in patient share, neurologists rate their overall satisfaction with Gilenya and its performance on efficacy-related attributes, such as relapse rate reduction, long-term, sustained efficacy and clinical data support, significantly higher compared to 2011. However, it is important to highlight that neurologists rate Biogen Idec/lans Tysabri significantly higher on overall satisfaction and performance than all other commercially available DMAs, likely due to positive perceptions of Tysabris performance on efficacy-related attributes.

TreatmentTrends: Multiple Sclerosis (EU) 2012 report also finds that the greatest percent of neurologists continue to voice a first-line preference for Biogen Idecs Avonex or a high dose/high frequency interferon (Merck Seronos Rebif for RRMS and Bayers Betaferon for progressive MS). However, compared to 2011, significantly more neurologists report a preference for Gilenya as a second-line therapy, drawing from Avonex and Tevas Copaxone. Over the next six months neurologists anticipate continuing to treat the greatest percent of their MS patients with Avonex, although patient share for this DMA, along with the other platform DMAs, are expected to contract significantly as Gilenya and Tysabri patient shares grow.

Given the U.S. approval of Sanofis Aubagio one month prior to survey fielding, it is interesting to note that significantly more EU5 neurologists report aided awareness of Aubagio compared to 2011. However, even with the recent approval activity, awareness of Aubagio continues to lag behind that of Biogen Idecs BG-12, Tevas laquinimod, and Sanofi/Bayers alemtuzumab. BG-12, in particular, stands out among the surveyed DMAs in development as the product that neurologists are most interested in learning more about and as the product that they perceive as potentially offering the greatest value to the treatment of their MS patients, primarily due to expectations surrounding its efficacy, oral administration and tolerability.

TreatmentTrends: Multiple Sclerosis (EU) is an annual syndicated report series that provides a comprehensive view of the current and expected future management of MS based on primary research across the European market (EU5). The survey was fielded with 225 neurologists from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the U.K. in October 2012. A parallel quarterly report covering the U.S. is also available. These reports encompass the use of DMAs for the treatment of MS, attitudes and perceptions toward these products, advantages and disadvantages, ideal patient types, barriers to growth, and expected future use. In addition, respondents are queried about their awareness of and interest in DMAs in development.

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Novartis’s Gilenya MS Patient Share Growth in Europe Likely Driven by Improved Product Satisfaction and Efficacy ...