The Launch of Eight Novel Disease-Modifying Therapies, Including the First Oral Agents Approved for the Indication, Will Drive Modest Growth in the Multiple Sclerosis Drug Market Through 2019

WALTHAM, Mass., July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the launch of several high-priced novel disease-modifying therapies—including the first oral agents approved for the indication—will fuel modest 3 percent annual growth in the multiple sclerosis (MS) drug market through 2019, coupled with increasing use of current and emerging monoclonal antibodies.

The Pharmacor 2010 findings from the topic entitled Multiple Sclerosis reveal that Novartis/Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma's FTY-720 (Gilenia) and Merck Serono/EMD Serono's oral cladribine, the first-to-market oral drugs approved for MS, will have the most significant market impact. Despite safety concerns with both drugs, combined sales of FTY-720 and oral cladribine will reach more than $2 billion in 2019 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Japan. Biogen Idec's pegylated interferon-beta-1a (IFN-beta-1a, BIIB-017) and Genzyme/Bayer Schering/Bayer HealthCare's alemtuzumab will also contribute to overall market growth.

"The launch of five oral disease-modifying therapies will represent a considerable advance in the treatment of MS, while fulfilling a significant unmet need for non-injectable therapies, and we expect these agents to capture nearly $3 billion in major-market sales in 2019," said Decision Resources analyst Jonathan Searles. "Nevertheless, each of these agents, including the most widely anticipated products, FTY-720 and oral cladribine, bear shortcomings in efficacy and/or safety—drawbacks that will restrict their use to niche patient subgroups or as second- or later-line treatment."

The Pharmacor 2010 findings also reveal that pegylated IFN-beta-1a's advantages in dosing and delivery present favorable variations on a time-tested, widely-prescribed IFN-beta therapy—benefits that will propel this product to earn major-market blockbuster sales in 2019. Additionally, owing to its impressive efficacy and relatively convenient administration, alemtuzumab will capture peak-year, major-market sales of $500 million to $1 billion.

About Pharmacor 2010

The newly redesigned Pharmacor advisory service offers clients in the biopharmaceutical industry the most up-to-date information available on commercially significant disease topics.

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, Inc. company.

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. 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, Inc. at www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.

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

SOURCE Decision Resources

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