For Moderate to Severe Psoriasis, Thought Leaders' Opinions and Clinical Data Indicate That Emerging Biologics That Target IL-17 Have the Potential to Offer Improvements in Efficacy and Safety Over Current Therapies

BURLINGTON, Mass., June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that surveyed dermatologists in the United States and Europe agree that a drug's effect on psoriatic plaques at 12-16 weeks is one of the attributes that most influences their prescribing decisions in moderate to severe psoriasis. Clinical data and the opinions of interviewed thought leaders indicate that the emerging biologics with novel mechanisms of action that target IL-17 have the potential to offer improvements over sales-leading adalimumab (AbbVie/Eisai's Humira) on this attribute.

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The DecisionBase report entitled Which Clinical Attributes Will Most Effectively Position Emerging Agents Against the Market Leader, Adalimumab? also finds that surveyed U.S. and European dermatologists and U.S. managed care organization (MCO) pharmacy directors consider therapies with a lower risk of serious infections than current therapies to be one of the greatest unmet needs in moderate to severe psoriasis. Interviewed thought leaders do not believe any emerging therapy has yet demonstrated clear potential to fulfill this unmet need. However, they are optimistic that agents with more-targeted mechanisms of action, including the IL-17 inhibitors, may offer improved safety compared to those that target multiple molecules or molecules that affect multiple downstream pathways.

The findings also reveal that more MCO pharmacy directors are willing to grant favorable formulary status to therapies that offer improvements in safety compared to the number who would grant this status to agents with improvements in efficacy. However, for drugs that are priced at a premium to adalimumab, MCO pharmacy directors indicate that improvements in the risk of serious infections will need to be substantial to secure reimbursement.

"When asked about factors influencing their treatment decisions, surveyed U.S. and European dermatologists assigned a high weight to a therapy's effect on psoriatic plaques at 12-16 weeks. However, they did not identify this attribute as an area of high unmet need," said Decision Resources Analyst Laura Croal, Ph.D. "The current market contains several biologic therapies with high levels of plaque clearance at 12-16 weeks. Greater unmet need was indicated for improvements on serious infection rates and sustained response rates beyond one year. Drug developers who invest in pivotal trials that extend to 52 weeks and then follow patients through several years of treatment may be in a position to fulfill these remaining unmet needs and differentiate their therapies in this increasingly crowded market."

About Decision Resources
Decision Resources (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources and master their chosen markets. Decision Resources is a Decision Resources Group company.

About Decision Resources Group
Decision Resources Group is a cohesive 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 Group at www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

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SOURCE Decision Resources

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