Janssen's Risperdal and Astrazeneca's Seroquel Overtake Eli Lilly's Zyprexa as the First-Line Antipsychotics of Choice in the Treatment for Schizophrenia
Bristol Meyers Squibb/Otsuka Pharmaceutical's Abilify Leads Second-Line Therapy, According to a New Report from Decision Resources
WALTHAM, Mass., September 17, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that Janssen's Risperdal and AstraZeneca's Seroquel have overtaken Eli Lilly's Zyprexa as the first-line antipsychotics of choice in the treatment for schizophrenia. According to the new report entitled Treatment Algorithms for Schizophrenia, Zyprexa has seen the biggest decrease of use over metabolic side effect issues, including weight gain and diabetes. Eighty six percent of surveyed psychiatrists have decreased use of Zyprexa because of these issues. Risperdal and Seroquel lead first-line antipsychotics at 15 percent and 12 percent respectively. Surveyed physicians cite Risperdal's efficacy and easy titration (the process of gradually adjusting the dose of a medication until the desired effect is achieved) and Seroquel's side effects profile as reasons for choosing these agents.
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The report also finds that patient claims data reveals that physicians are following treatment guidelines and employing various strategies to stabilize patients. Nearly 50.8 percent of treated patients progress to a second-line therapy within the first 360 days. The high rate of progression in part signals patient and/or physician dissatisfaction with the efficacy or tolerability of a particular drug. Bristol Meyers Squibb/Otsuka Pharmaceutical's Abilify is the most commonly prescribed second-line agent, capturing 24.9 percent of second-line patients. Physicians cite fewer metabolic side effects and better long term safety profile as the primary reasons for choosing Abilify for patients who have failed previous therapy.
"Zyprexa dominated the schizophrenia market just two years ago; however, recent focus on the drug's risk of weight gain and diabetes has changed physician perception of this agent," said Sandra Chow, analyst at Decision Resources." With the launch of new formulations and line extensions over the next two years, such as AstraZeneca's Seroquel XR, Wyeth/Solvay Pharmaceutical's bifeprunox, Janssen's paliperidone depot, and Eli Lilly's olanzapine depot, as well as the expiration of Janssen's Risperdal patent protection in 2008, the landscape of schizophrenia is poised for even greater changes."
About Treatment Algorithm Insight Series
Decision Resources combines in-depth primary research with the most extensive claims-based longitudinal patient-level data from PharMetrics(R) to provide exceptional insight into physicians' prescribing trends and the factors that drive therapy product choice, from diagnosis through multiple courses of treatment, for a specific disease.
For each disease examined, Decision Resources' Treatment Algorithms Insight Series provides:
--Summary of U.S. medical practice based on interviews with leading
     experts in the field
-- Qualitative diagnosis/referral/treatment algorithm for the United
     States
-- Drug usage by lines of therapy (1st, 2nd, 3rd line)
-- Discussion of key freeform combinations by lines of therapy
-- Product share (class and specific compound level) within each line of
     therapy (1st, 2nd, 3rd line)
-- Progression of therapy from key 1st line products
-- Pathway to key therapies from previous therapies
-- Qualitative analysis of 2-year forecast incorporating upcoming
     launches, changes in reimbursement, etc.
About Decision Resources
Decision Resources, Inc., (www.DecisionResources.com) is a world leader in healthcare market research publications, advisory services, and consulting designed to help clients shape strategy, allocate resources, and master their chosen markets.
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