Diabetic Nephropathy is Considered the Renal Disease with the Greatest Unmet Need for New Therapeutic Options

BURLINGTON, Mass., Nov. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources Group finds that among all physician specialties, diabetic nephropathy (DN) is considered the renal disease with the greatest unmet need for new therapeutic options. Primary care physicians (PCPs) rate DN as having significantly more of an unmet need than they did in 2012. The TreatmentTrends: Diabetic Nephropathy (US) 2014 study is based on an online survey of 150 physicians (51 nephrologists, 50 endocrinologists, and 49 PCPs) in the United States.

Other key findings from the report include:

• Most important attributes when choosing an agent for DN: The three most important attributes are efficacy in reducing proteinuria, efficacy in delaying the onset of end stage renal disease, efficacy in establishing blood pressure control (for nephrologists), and efficacy in reducing the risk of non-fatal cardiovascular events (for endocrinologists and PCPs). Other key attributes addressed in the report include: importance of a specific DN indication, dosage frequency and formulation, efficacy in establishing glycemic control among other attributes.
• Perception of DN progression by specialty: Regardless of physician specialty, most patients with DN are considered to be slow or average progressors. A minority of DN patients are considered fast progressors from initial diagnosis to complications, and time from initial diagnosis to complications is similar. The report also discusses the perceived patient characteristics of fast progressors, such as poor glycemic and hypertension control.
• Referral patterns of DN patients: According to endocrinologists and PCPs, the likelihood that a DN patient under their management will also see a nephrologist increases as stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progresses.
• Use of pharmacotherapy in DN patients: Use of pharmacotherapy for DN varies by severity of disease (microalbuminuria versus macroalbuminuria), physician specialty, and CKD stage. This report also discusses the perceived use of diabetic medications in the DN patient population, among other agents used such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs).
• Physicians' perceptions of six late stage products in development to treat DN: For the most part, these products—Janssen's Invokana, AbbVie's atrasentan, NephroGenex's Pyridorin, Bayer's finerenone, ChemoCentryx' CCX-140, and Concert Pharmaceutical's CTP-499—are most likely to be used by surveyed physicians in stage 3 CKD patients, but there are a significant number of likely candidates in all CKD stages.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Director Rob Dubman:

• "The most common treatment changes reported include being more aggressive with DN treatment, earlier diagnosis/increased screening/earlier referral to a nephrologist, and no longer using ACE/ARB combinations. For manufactures with products in development to treat DN, this could mean that ample opportunity exists."

Additional Resources
A recently published report entitled ChartTrends: Renal Anemia CKD-ND (US) 2014 will help manufacturers understand how DN patients are being treated today through a review patient level data (n = 1,000 CKD non-dialysis patient charts) of patient characteristics, HbA_1c laboratory measures (at referral to a nephrologist and most recent), use of diabetic medications, among other findings to help define DN patient types and identify therapy triggers.

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.

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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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