BioTrends Research Group, Inc. finds that with the introduction of Novartis’ Gilenya, the first oral disease-modifying agent (DMA) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), neurologists anticipate major shifts in the landscape of the MS market. One month after the launch of Gilenya, trial and uptake of Extavia, a DMA launched by Novartis one year earlier, continues to be tempered due to the perception that Extavia is a “me too” agent — a perception made even more noticeable by the availability of the new and unique DMA, Gilenya. In fact, compared to previous waves, both current and anticipated patient share of Extavia have decreased due in part to a drop in the number of high prescribers of Extavia.

The recently released fourth and final wave of the LaunchTrends: Extavia report series finds that the small amount of Extavia use is mostly driven by out-of-pocket cost concerns with other DMAs and that managed care reimbursement is playing less of a role compared to the role it played in the first year of Extavia’s commercial availability. In fact, perceptions of the managed care process for Extavia have declined since earlier waves. While Novartis detailing seems to be primarily focused on Gilenya, neurologists who were recently detailed on Extavia are more likely to have experience with the DMA. While anticipated prescribing of Gilenya is expected to rise substantially over the next six months, surveyed neurologists believe that any change in their prescribing of Extavia will be minimal.

LaunchTrends: Extavia is a four wave syndicated report series designed to track the uptake of Novartis’s Extavia at one month, six months, nine months, and one year following its commercial availability. In the current wave of research which measures Extavia’s market impact after one year, BioTrends surveyed 76 neurologists and conducted qualitative interviews with a subset of 20 of the respondents in November 2010. MS market dynamics will also be measured in upcoming syndicated reports including TreatmentTrends: Multiple Sclerosis and ChartTrends: Multiple Sclerosis. BioTrends also recently published the first wave of LaunchTrends: Gilenya, a report series tracking trial, uptake, and perceptions of Novartis’ Gilenya, at one, three and six months post launch. The next wave will be published in February 2011.

LaunchTrends assesses trial and use of new products, obstacles to use, reasons to use, typical patient types, line of therapy, product perceptions, promotional efforts/messages and product satisfaction.

BioTrends Research Group, Inc. provides syndicated and custom market research to pharmaceutical manufacturers competing in clinically evolving, specialty pharmaceutical markets.

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