Physician Views: Life after Gleevec in the chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) market?
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Novartis' Gleevec is widely credited as being one of the most important drug launches of all time, having revolutionised the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and transformed what was a terminal disease into a chronic one. As a result, the drug has reaped significant commercial benefits for Novartis, generating global sales of $4.7 billion in 2012.
However, the CML market has become increasingly crowded, following the launch of second-generation therapies – Novartis' own Tasigna and Bristol-Myers Squibb's Sprycel – and the recently launched third-generation therapy Iclusig, which is marketed by Ariad Pharmaceuticals.
Paragraph>Most usage of second- and third-generation therapies currently occurs in patients who do not gain sufficient benefit from Gleevec (which accounts for approximately 85 percent of first-line usage – which in turn accounts for around 82 percent of market share). However, some analysts and industry commentators believe that the more potent second- and third-generation products have an opportunity to be used more widely – built around a thesis that earlier use with these products produces a deeper and a faster response, which could potentially prolong overall survival (Novartis is seeking to demonstrate this benefit for Tasigna versus Gleevec).
However, there would appear to be a limited window of maximum commercial opportunity for the second- and third-generation CML therapies to displace Gleevec, given that Novartis' first-generation product will most likely face US patent expiry in 2015.
Set against this backdrop of uncertainty, this week's Physician Views poll will ask US-based oncologists to share their opinions towards the CML treatment paradigm. Specifically the poll will ask...
To what extent they expect to increase their front-line usage of second- and third-generation CML therapies
Which of the second/third-generation therapies they perceive to have the strongest clinical profile
To what extent they tailor their approach to treating Gleevec-refractory patients by mutation type
What percentage of total CML patients they expect to treat with branded second- and third-generation therapies once generic Gleevec becomes available
How they expect the CML treatment paradigm to evolve post-2015
However, the CML market has become increasingly crowded, following the launch of second-generation therapies – Novartis' own Tasigna and Bristol-Myers Squibb's Sprycel – and the recently launched third-generation therapy Iclusig, which is marketed by Ariad Pharmaceuticals.
Paragraph>Most usage of second- and third-generation therapies currently occurs in patients who do not gain sufficient benefit from Gleevec (which accounts for approximately 85 percent of first-line usage – which in turn accounts for around 82 percent of market share). However, some analysts and industry commentators believe that the more potent second- and third-generation products have an opportunity to be used more widely – built around a thesis that earlier use with these products produces a deeper and a faster response, which could potentially prolong overall survival (Novartis is seeking to demonstrate this benefit for Tasigna versus Gleevec).
However, there would appear to be a limited window of maximum commercial opportunity for the second- and third-generation CML therapies to displace Gleevec, given that Novartis' first-generation product will most likely face US patent expiry in 2015.
Set against this backdrop of uncertainty, this week's Physician Views poll will ask US-based oncologists to share their opinions towards the CML treatment paradigm. Specifically the poll will ask...
To what extent they expect to increase their front-line usage of second- and third-generation CML therapies
Which of the second/third-generation therapies they perceive to have the strongest clinical profile
To what extent they tailor their approach to treating Gleevec-refractory patients by mutation type
What percentage of total CML patients they expect to treat with branded second- and third-generation therapies once generic Gleevec becomes available
How they expect the CML treatment paradigm to evolve post-2015