In the United States, Nearly All Surveyed Physicians Prescribe Pfizer's Sutent and a Significant Majority Prescribe Bayer/Onyx's Nexavar for the Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma
However, Overall, There is a Substantial Exclusion of Renal Cell Carcinoma Drugs From Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, According to a New Report from Decision Resources
BURLINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, in the United States, nearly all surveyed physicians (99 percent) prescribe Pfizer's Sutent and a significant majority of surveyed physicians (89 percent) prescribe Bayer/Onyx's Nexavar for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. Additionally, 75 percent of surveyed U.S. physicians indicate that they prescribe Roche's Avastin for this indication.
The new U.S. Physician & Payer Forum report entitled Advanced Renal Cell Cancer: The Next Wave of Targeted Agents for RCC: Insights from U.S. Payers and Oncologists finds that Sutent is the clear leader in terms of physicians' first-hand experience and familiarity and that GlaxoSmithKline's Votrient also leads Nexavar on this attribute, according to surveyed hospital-based oncologists. The report also finds that nearly half of hospital-based clinicians (48 percent) perceive Sutent as patients' preferred drug, while a considerably small proportion of their non-hospital-based counterparts (28 percent) agree. However, the ongoing COMPARZ trial is exploring patients' treatment preference for the indication and the results may generate data that changes current views regarding patients' preferred treatments in renal cell carcinoma.
"Sutent also achieves the highest scores on the attributes of overall survival, progression-free survival and convenience of administration," said Decision Resources Therapeutic Area Director Joanne Graham, Ph.D. "Despite the increasingly competitive landscape, Sutent remains the drug of choice for more than three-quarters of hospital-based oncologists for their low- and intermediate-risk patients."
The report also finds that Avastin, which is administered intravenously, is listed primarily as a medical benefit on 45 percent of managed care organizations' (MCO) commercial plans, with 25 percent listing this agent as a pharmacy benefit. Torisel, another intravenous drug, is almost equally likely to be listed as a medical benefit (25 percent) as well as a pharmacy benefit (30 percent). The findings also reveal that an equal number of Medicare prescription drug plans (PDPs) exclude coverage of Sutent and the more recently available Votrient. Overall, there is a substantial exclusion of renal cell carcinoma drugs from Medicare plans.
About Decision Resources
Decision Resources (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market research publications, advisory services and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources and master their chosen markets. Decision Resources is a Decision Resources, Inc. company.
About Decision Resources, Inc.
Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.