New Study by BioTrends Highlights Practice Management Shifts Among Canadian Nep...( EXTON Pa. Nov. 19 /- BioTrends Resear...),Health

EXTON, Pa., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- BioTrends Research Group, Inc. released its first TreatmentTrends(TM): Canadian Nephrology Report. This report runs parallel to two ongoing studies BioTrends conducts -- TreatmentTrends(TM): US and European Nephrology. The report is based on the results of an on-line survey completed by 40 Canadian Nephrologists and focuses on the management of renal anemia and hyperphosphatemia.

In the anemia market, Amgen's Aranesp is the market share leader among patients with Chronic Kidney Disease not on dialysis (CKD) whereas share between Aranesp and Eprex in the dialysis market is more evenly divided. Satisfaction between brands is similar, but Eprex has a perceived competitive advantage on achieving target hemoglobin levels quickly and allowing for easy dosing modifications. Aranesp, on the other hand, has a perceived advantage when it comes to extended dosing intervals, an attribute that is considered more important in CKD than in dialysis. No significant shifts in projected use of ESAs or in ESA market share are expected in the next six months. Unaided awareness of new ESAs in development is very low. Of those who are aware, Roche's Mircera is most often mentioned.

Use of IV iron is limited outside of hemodialysis with less than 20% of peritoneal dialysis, less than 15% of Stage 4 CKD and less than 5% of Stage 3 CKD patients receiving therapy. American Regent's Venofer is the market share leader in both dialysis and CKD, but their margin over Watson's Ferrlecit is greater in CKD. Company contact through sales representatives is virtually non-existent for all the IV iron players with almost 100% of Nephrologists reporting no contact in more than three months, and often never. The IV iron market is expected to stay relatively stagnant in the next six months.

In the phosphate binder market, calcium carbonate continues to be the binder used in
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