Surveyed U.S. and European Psychiatrists Ascribe the Highest Level of Unmet Need to a Therapy Demonstrating Reduced Use of Opioids in Addicted Patients

BURLINGTON, Mass., March 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources Group finds that, according to insights from surveyed U.S. and European psychiatrists and U.S. managed care (MCO) pharmacy directors, a therapy resulting in reduced use of opioids compared with existing therapies is one of the greatest unmet needs in the treatment of opioid addiction. Although clinical data and the opinions of interviewed thought leaders indicate that no emerging opioid addiction therapies have demonstrated the potential to fulfill this unmet need to date, the emerging buprenorphine implant (Titan Pharmaceuticals' Probuphine) is poised to offer a six-month duration of action, which is expected to result in improved compliance and a lower risk of abuse over available buprenorphine-containing products.

Other key findings from the DecisionBase 2014 report entitled Opioid Addiction: How Will Physicians and Payers Value Advances in Drug Delivery?:

• Reckitt Benckiser's Suboxone: Clinical data and the opinions of interviewed thought leaders indicate that no currently available opioid addiction therapies have advantages over sales-leading buprenorphine/naloxone sublingual film (Reckitt Benckiser's Suboxone) on reducing opioid use.
• Price per day for treatment: Decision Resources Group's analysis of physician survey results found that of several attributes tested, price per day was by a large margin the most important attribute influencing surveyed psychiatrists' likelihood of prescribing a given target product profile for opioid addiction. In the first half of 2013, generic versions of the buprenorphine/naloxone sublingual tablet became available, and the availability of these products is expected to lead to an even greater importance of price per day in physicians' prescribing decisions in the near future.
• Dosing frequency: Surveyed U.S. MCO pharmacy directors are notably receptive to new opioid addiction therapies that offer less frequent dosing over currently available therapies. We expect that Probuphine will match the improvements on delivery that surveyed U.S. payers indicated would be required for inclusion on MCO formularies.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Analyst Natalie Taylor, Ph.D.:

• "The responses from our survey of MCO pharmacy directors indicate that improved dosing frequency represents a valuable attribute for an emerging opioid addiction therapy. Payers may perceive there is a greater likelihood that opioid addiction patients would be compliant with their medication if it did not require once-daily dosing."
• "Our analysis of physician survey results reveals that a six-month dosing interval is not a large enough clinical advantage to overcome the negative effect of a high price per treated day on physician preference and prescribing likelihood, presumably due to the market access hurdles such a therapy would face."

About Decision Resources Group
Decision Resources Group offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on critical issues within the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Find out more at www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

For more information, contact:
Decision Resources Group
Christopher Comfort
781-993-2597
[email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130103/MM36768LOGO

SOURCE Decision Resources Group

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED