Surveyed Rheumatologists Report That Otezla's Oral Administration is its Single Greatest Advantage Over Currently Available Treatment Options

BURLINGTON, Mass., July 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources Group finds that the three most frequently cited advantages of Otezla are its oral administration, alternative mechanism of action, and favorable safety profile, as reported by surveyed rheumatologists. Otezla was the first oral therapy specifically approved and launched for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis in the United States. The current standard of care includes conventional oral treatments including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), such as methotrexate and sulfasalazine, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). DMARDs and NSAIDs are expected to remain first-line treatment for peripheral arthritis and axial disease manifestations, respectively, due in large part to reimbursement requirements that restrict the use of more effective biologics to refractory patients. Otezla is generally perceived to have a level of efficacy in-between conventional DMARDs and biologics. Likewise, surveyed rheumatologists are divided as to whether they are more likely to initially prescribe Otezla to patients that have failed conventional DMARDs or patients that have failed biologics.

Other key findings from the LaunchTrends report entitled LaunchTrends: Otezla Wave 3 (US):

• Awareness and familiarity: Awareness and familiarity with Otezla has markedly increased over the past year, with the vast majority of surveyed physicians reporting moderate to high familiarity in this wave of the report series.
• Patient disease severity: Surveyed rheumatologists report that they are generally still reserving Otezla for moderate to severe psoriatic arthritis patients, likely due to the drug's high cost and insurance barriers for mild patients.
• Psoriasis approval: Surveyed rheumatologists that are relatively high Otezla prescribers reported a much greater willingness to prescribe the product in light of its recent approval for plaque psoriasis, a condition that is highly comorbid with psoriatic arthritis.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Associate Melissa Curran:

• "Surveyed specialists remain highly interested in Otezla, not only because it is more convenient than injectable biologics, but because it represents a unique mechanism of action for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. Whenever a new mechanism of action is available for a disease, especially one with a high level of unmet need like psoriatic arthritis, physicians are hoping it will work for their patients that have not responded to other available agents. However, while they are using Otezla in this type of patient, interviewed physicians recognize that refractory patients may not be the most appropriate for the drug, given its perceived modest efficacy compared to biologics."
• "Interviewed rheumatologists are generally interested in using Otezla in earlier lines of therapy– sometimes even before biologics–but often face significant reimbursement hurdles when they try to do so. It will be difficult for Otezla to move into earlier lines of therapy without the consent of payers."

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About Decision Resources Group
Decision Resources Group offers best-in-class, high-value data, analytics and insights products and services to the healthcare industry, delivered by more than 700 employees across 15 global locations. DRG companies provide the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, financial services and payer industries with the tools, insights and advice they need to compete and thrive in an increasingly complex and value-based marketplace. www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

Media contact:

SHIFT Communications
Rosie Hale
617.779.1893
[email protected]

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SOURCE Decision Resources Group

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