Surveyed U.S. Rheumatologists' Experience Prescribing Celgene's Otezla at One Month Post Launch Is Less Than 30 Percent But Is Expected to More Than Double Within the Next Month

BURLINGTON, Mass., Aug. 4, 2014 Decision Resources Group finds that at one month post commercial availability, surveyed U.S. rheumatologists have each prescribed Celgene's Otezla to an average of two psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients. Rheumatologists are still reserving Otezla for more difficult-to-treat patients as most PsA patients who have been prescribed Otezla have moderate or severe PsA. The most likely candidates for Otezla are PsA patients who would be switching from an anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor or alternate MOA biologic or those who would be adding Otezla to a conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD). When asked, one-third of surveyed rheumatologists see Otezla fitting into their treatment algorithm after failure of two biologics. However, when asked not to consider price as a factor, more than a quarter of rheumatologists would prescribe Otezla to new-start patients who are naive to conventional DMARD or biologic therapy.

Other key findings from the report entitled LaunchTrends®: Otezla (Psoriatic Arthritis) (Wave 1) 2014 (US):

• Otezla prescribers: Compared with nonprescribers of Otezla, prescribers of the drug appear to be heavier biologic prescribers. They also tend to be rheumatologists who trial a new product earlier and are more likely to become familiar with the product through Celgene sales representatives.
• Otezla nonprescribers: Compared with prescribers of Otezla, surveyed Otezla nonprescribers are significantly more likely to have never been visited by any Celgene sales representatives.
• Otezla's risk versus benefit: Given Otezla's favorable safety profile demonstrated in clinical trials, only a very small percentage of surveyed rheumatologists perceive Otezla's risks to outweigh its benefits.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Senior Data Analyst Elvina Wardjiman:

• "Data show that prescribers of Otezla are more likely to have become familiar with the product through Celgene sales representatives compared with nonprescribers, indicating that sales representatives are key to educating physicians about the product. Given that significantly more Otezla nonprescribers than prescribers have never been contacted by a Celgene sales representative, Celgene has a clear opportunity to increase familiarity with Otelza through their sales force."
• "At one month post launch, surveyed U.S. rheumatologists have less experience prescribing Otezla than prescribing Bristol-Myers Squibb's Orencia SC and Janssen's Stelara at the same time frame post launch. This may be attributed to Orencia being a reformulated product and Stelara having already been approved for psoriasis, so rheumatologists were more comfortable prescribing them."

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SOURCE Decision Resources Group