According to Surveyed U.S. Oncologists, Zelboraf is the Patient Share Leader in First-Line BRAF-Mutation Positive Malignant Melanoma

EXTON, Pa., Nov. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- BioTrends Research Group, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for specialized biopharmaceutical issues, finds that, according to oncologists surveyed in Q3 2013, Roche/Genentech/Daiichi Sankyo/Chugai's Zelboraf is the patient share leader in the first-line BRAF-mutation positive setting. Surveyed oncologists also report that Bristol-Myers Squibb's Yervoy holds the most patient share (approximately 50 percent) in the first-line BRAF wild-type setting; Yervoy also captures approximately one-third of patient share in second-line BRAF-mutation positive setting, according to surveyed oncologists. Respondents surveyed in Q3 2013 expect a significant decrease in the first- and second-line patient share of Zelboraf and Yervoy, respectively, within the next six months.

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According to the data published in the TreatmentTrends^® Malignant Melanoma (US) Q4 2013 report, one-quarter of stage I patients are currently screened for BRAF mutations compared with more than 80 percent of stage IV patients. Medical oncologists expect BRAF screening rates to increase significantly among stage II and stage III patients in the next six months. A small increase in screening among stage IV patients within the next six months suggests that BRAF screening rates may be near saturation point in this subset of patients.

"GlaxoSmithKline's Tafinlar and Mekinist are seeing use as single-agents in BRAF-mutation positive patients, particularly in later lines, following their approval by the FDA in May 2013," said Decision Resources Group Senior Business Insights Analyst Karen Pomeranz, M.Sc., Ph.D. "Interestingly, surveyed respondents indicate that Tafinlar and Mekinist are being used in combination, albeit approximately 5 percent in the first-line BRAF-mutation positive setting, despite the FDA not having recommended use of these agents in combination with one another."

TreatmentTrends^® Malignant Melanoma (US) Q4 2013 is a syndicated report designed to provide a view of the current and future management of malignant melanoma based on primary research fielded with 100 medical oncologists in the United States. The report evaluates treatment and diagnosis patterns of the disease and physician opinions on possible future therapy options. BioTrends Oncology is also covering the launch of Tafinlar and Mekinist through its LaunchTrends^® studies.

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SOURCE BioTrends Research Group