In Combination With FOLFOX4, the Effect of Erbitux and Avastin On Survival Rates Will Drive Prescription Decisions in the Treatm

WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that a drug's effect on overall survival is the attribute that most influences oncologists' prescribing decisions in the treatment of stage III colon cancer. Clinical data and expert opinion shows that Bristol-Myers Squibb/ImClone Systems/Merck KGaA's Erbitux and Roche/Genentech/Chugai's Avastin have advantages in this attribute when used in combination with sales-leading FOLFOX4 treatment. FOLFOX4 is comprised of oxaliplatin (Sanofi-Aventis's Eloxatin/Eloxatine, Yakult's Elplat), 5- fluorouracil and leucovorin.

The new report entitled Colon Cancer (Stage III): Therapies Must Increase Survival over FOLFOX to Reach Blockbuster Status finds that surveyed oncologists indicate that a therapy which improves disease-free survival over FOLFOX4 at three years would earn a 60% patient share and achieve blockbuster status. The report forecasts that Avastin, in combination with FOLFOX4, will earn a 22% patient share in the U.S. stage III colon cancer market in 2016. Additionally, owing to its efficacy, safety and tolerability, Erbitux in combination with FOLFOX4 will earn gold-standard status for stage III colon cancer in 2011, following its approval for the indication in 2010 in the U.S. and Europe.

"When using both drugs in combination with FOLFOX4, experts gave Erbitux a slightly higher score over Avastin in safety and tolerability," said Marcus Hoyle, analyst at Decision Resources. "Oncologists indicated that the cardiovascular toxicity associated with VEGF inhibitors, such as Avastin, has a more negative impact on their prescribing decisions than the tissue disorders associated with EGFR inhibitors, such as Erbitux."

About the Report

Colon Cancer (Stage III): Therapies Must Increase Survival over FOLFOX to Reach Blockbuster Status is a DecisionBase 2008 report from Decision Resources. DecisionBase 2008 combines market forecasts with clinical and commercial endpoints to assess market share projections in 35 indications. These outputs are driven by quantitative and qualitative primary research. DecisionBase 2008 provides detailed market share, patient share, and price- per-day projections for emerging drugs in development. The market share projections are based on prescriber surveys that compare physicians' expectations of a potential target product profile with an emerging product profile of the leading drugs in development.

The report can be purchased by contacting Decision Resources. Members of the media may request an interview with an analyst.

About Decision Resources

Decision Resources, Inc. (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.

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SOURCE Decision Resources, Inc.