Actemra Post-Launch Success Continues to Gain Momentum with Broader Adoption Compared to Biologic Analog Launches and a Professional Marketing Campaign That Resonates with Rheumatologists

EXTON, Pa., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- BioTrends has released the third and final wave of LaunchTrends®: ACTEMRA. Actemra (tocilizumab), marketed by Roche-Genentech, is the first humanized IL-6 receptor inhibitor agent approved for moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with an inadequate response to one or more TNF-alpha inhibitors. This report is derived from on-line survey responses from 75 rheumatologists and qualitative interviews with a subset of the survey respondents.

Rheumatologists report using Actemra with clinical success in patients who failed one or more TNF-alpha inhibitors despite the need for more frequent blood monitoring of liver function, lipid profile, and neutrophil and platelet counts. Each of these side effect issues has had varying degrees of impact on physicians' treatment patterns.

The breadth and depth of adoption of Actemra is greater than that of other biologic analogs in RA at a six-month post-launch timeframe. Patient origination is largely derived from the three established TNF-alpha inhibitors (Amgen/Pfizer's Enbrel, Abbott's Humira and Centocor Ortho Biotech's Remicade), although rheumatologists consider Actemra to compete more directly with (i.e., displace) Remicade and Bristol-Myers Squibb's Orencia.  

The core efficacy messages of Actemra's professional marketing campaign resonate strongly with rheumatologists. Based on a quantitative derived importance analysis supported by qualitative interviews with physicians, these core messages have a direct influence on physicians' perceptions of biologic performance in their clinical practice. In some instances, these efficacy attributes are competitive advantages for Actemra over other biologic agents.  

This study represents the final wave of LaunchTrends: Actemra. Trends are compared over time including trial and usage of Actemra, patient types, line of therapy, product perceptions, promotional detailing and messaging, and perceptions of manufacturers' co-pay assistance programs. Post-launch tracking of Actemra and the market dynamics for the biologic class will continue to be covered in the TreatmentTrends®: Rheumatoid Arthritis series and ChartTrends®: Biologics in Rheumatoid Arthritis, a 1,000+ patient chart review that compares actual treatment patterns with self-reported physician response.  

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SOURCE BioTrends Research Group, Inc.