The Treatment Landscape for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Will Change Dramatically Over the Next Ten Years Due to the Launch of New Therapies in the United States and EU5

BURLINGTON, Mass., Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that the treatment landscape for hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States and Europe will change dramatically through 2021 as three new, potentially high priced therapies–Novartis's Afinitor, ArQule's tivantinib and Celsion's ThermoDox–arrive on the market, thereby greatly increasing treatment options in patient populations in which there is no approved standard-of-care drug therapy.

According to Niche Markets and Rare Diseases: Hepatocellular Carcinoma, of the forecasted emerging therapies, Afinitor will be the first drug to gain regulatory approval and will launch in 2014 in all markets under study for treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in the second-line setting following disease progression on Bayer HealthCare/Onyx Pharmaceuticals' Nexavar, the current patient-share leader. By 2021, tivantinib will also launch in the second-line setting for treatment of patients who express high levels of c-MET. ThermoDox, a heat-sensitive liposome-encapsulated formulation of doxorubicin, will be the only therapy to launch over the next ten years in the localized/locally advanced setting for use in combination with radiofrequency embolization (RFA).

"According to opinion leaders, one of the greatest unmet needs in the hepatocellular carcinoma space is for a second-line therapy directed at patients who cannot tolerate treatment with or progress on Nexavar–the standard-of-care in the first-line setting through 2021," said Decision Resources Analyst Karen Pomeranz, Ph.D. "However, the launch of ThermoDox will herald a novel treatment approach in localized/locally advanced disease. Most interviewed physicians are excited by this prospect because it could potentially increase the benefit of treatment with RFA for patients with disease confined to the liver and could also lead to an increase in treatment rates with RFA—particularly in the locally advanced setting."

In addition, the findings reveal that the number of incident cases of hepatocellular carcinoma in the major markets will increase by approximately 30 percent over the forecast period, driven by an aging population and an overall increase in risk. Drug treatment rates will also rise as new therapies come to market.

About Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular Carcinoma is offered as part of Decision Resources' Niche Markets and Rare Diseases service. Each report assesses opportunity in a select drug market across the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. The report provides detailed coverage of patient populations, current therapies, unmet needs and emerging therapies, and includes primary research with country-specific thought leaders.

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.

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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