An Oral Disease-Modifying Drug for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Would Earn High Patient Shares in Both Europe and the Uni...( Tysabri is Decision Resources' Gold S...),Health

Tysabri is Decision Resources' Gold Standard Through 2017 for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, According to a New Report from Decision Resources

WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that an oral disease-modifying therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis would earn a 50 percent patient share in Europe and a 40 percent patient share in the United States, according to surveyed U.S. and European neurologists.

The new report entitled Multiple Sclerosis (Relapsing-Remitting): Emerging Therapies That Offer Improved Convenience Will Not Unseat Current Drugs finds that a therapy's effect on disability is the attribute that most influences surveyed neurologists' prescribing decisions in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Clinical data and the opinions of interviewed thought leaders indicate that Biogen Idec/Elan's Tysabri has advantages in this attribute over Biogen Idec's Avonex, the market sales leading agent.

Decision Resources' proprietary clinical gold standard in 2008 for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis was Tysabri, most notably because of its superior efficacy in the three key aspects of the disease --disability progression, relapses, and lesions -- relative to other agents to treat the disease. Based on its robust efficacy, Tysabri will retain Decision Resources' gold standard status through 2017 for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

"Although Tysabri is disadvantaged by its rare incidence of life-threatening side effects, we do not expect any therapy in development for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis to displace it as the clinical gold standard," said Decision Resources Analyst Bethany Kiernan, Ph.D. "While some therapies in development hold promise, most have efficacy, safety and tolerability, and/or delivery features
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