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Infographic: RA Perceptions

HCPs predict the future of the biologics market

Findings from a recent survey of physicians across Europe has revealed that, despite stiff competition from newer biologics, biosimilars and pipeline agents, physicians expect current market leaders Enbrel (etanercept) and Humira (adalimumab) to continue to lead the market and be used to treat over a third of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients in three years’ time. Nevertheless, the anti-TNF segment is predicted to experience a strong downturn with a 19% loss in share in the same period.

Download our RA Perceptions: Predicting the future of the European market infographic now »

RA Perceptions is a market research study which is carried out every month amongst a panel of 200 physicians across five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK) and asks physicians about current and future perceptions of the RA market. These findings are from the June survey. RA Perceptions is a component of a larger ongoing patient tracking study called Therapy Watch RA, conducted by global healthcare market research specialist Research Partnership. An infographic highlights the key findings from the study.

Biologic agents with novel mechanisms of action (such as Roche’s RoActemra) are expected to outperform the overall EU biologics market with 15% growth over the next 3 years.

Biosimilars (the approved follow-on products to innovator biologics) will benefit from the greatest gains. Physicians predict a four-fold increase in their use of Hospira’s Inflectra and Celltrion’s Remsima. Despite heavy discounting of some biosimilars in certain markets such as France, the overall market share for these infliximab biosimilars is projected to remain relatively small. Less than 25% of physicians currently report prescribing biosimilars.

Overall, physicians’ awareness of pipeline agents in RA is low. The greatest levels of familiarity and interest were reported for novel small molecules such as Celgene’s Otezla (apremilast) and Pfizer’s Xeljanz (tofacitinib), which both offer a new oral alternative for patients who fail to respond adequately or are intolerant to traditional disease modifying treatments. Of the physicians who were familiar with these agents, 89% said they would prescribe Otezla and 83% stated they would prescribe Xeljanz, in the next 3 years.

The RA biologics market is expected to undergo significant changes in the next few years as newer entrants compete with established brands and biosimilars become increasingly accepted for use as cheaper alternatives to the branded biologics.

This content was provided by Research Partnership

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