Thought Leader Opinion Indicates That There is Significant Commercial Opportunity in Developing Therapies that Can Improve Overall Survival in First-Line Advanced Ovarian Cancer

BURLINGTON, Mass., June 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources Group finds that in addition to an improvement in median overall survival (MOS), delayed disease progression is one of the greatest unmet needs in the first-line treatment of advanced ovarian cancer (CaO). MOS and disease progression are also key factors that shape surveyed U.S. and European oncologists' treatment decisions in this patient population. According to interviewed experts and survey data, substantial commercial opportunity exists for therapies that would improve MOS in first-line advanced CaO. Based on early-phase clinical data and the opinions of thought leaders interviewed the emerging therapies profiled by Decision Resources Group are not expected to offer significant improvements in overall survival, safety and tolerability, or delivery over currently used therapies. However, interviewed thought leaders anticipate that at least two emerging therapies; AstraZeneca's PARP inhibitor olaparib and Boehringer Ingelheim's angiogenesis inhibitor Vargatef will considerably prolong progression-free survival (PFS) in the first-line advanced CaO patients. The anticipated improvements in PFS offered by olaparib and Vargatef over the 2013 sales-leading regimen in this patient population, paclitaxel (Bristol-Myers Squibb's Taxol, generics) + carboplatin (Bristol-Myers Squibb's Paraplatin, generics), match the surveyed U.S. payers' PFS requirements for widespread inclusion on their managed care organizations' formularies.

Other key findings from the DecisionBase 2014 report entitled Ovarian Cancer (First-Line Advanced): Oncologists Are Eager for Therapies Extending Overall Survival:

• Janssen Biotech's Doxil/Caelyx has the strongest clinical profile among the current and emerging therapies for treatment of first-line advanced CaO.
• Olaparib has the most favorable side-effect profile among the emerging therapies due to lack of additional hematological and cardiovascular toxicities when combined with a chemotherapy regimen.
• Ninety-five percent of surveyed payers indicated that they would be willing to reimburse a new therapy that offers a three- to nine-month improvement in MOS over paclitaxel + carboplatin (TC), and 90 percent would be willing to reimburse a new therapy that offers a two- to six-month benefit over TC.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Business Insights Analyst Natalia Reoutova:

• "Following the approval of Avastin (Roche/Genentech/Chugai) for the first-line treatment of advanced CaO in Europe and Japan on the basis of PFS improvement, we expect that olaparib will be able to secure approval in BRCA1/2-mutated patients in these two regions based on the same primary end point."
• "Avastin has proved that inhibiting angiogenesis is a successful therapeutic approach in CaO, and interviewed oncologists are generally hopeful that, through its novel antiangiogenic target, trebananib (Amgen/Takeda) will be effective in inhibiting angiogenesis and treating CaO. However, the peripheral edema associated with trebananib and its weekly dosing schedule are likely to hinder the drug's uptake."

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]

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SOURCE Decision Resources Group

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