Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that surveyed dermatologists view Abbott/Eisai's Humira as the most efficacious therapy for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. Thirty-two percent of surveyed dermatologists selected Humira as the most efficacious, followed by Centocor Ortho Biotech/Merck/Mitsubishi Tanabe's Remicade (29 percent). The current sales leader Amgen/Pfizer/Takeda's Enbrel was selected as the most efficacious therapy by only 23 percent of dermatologists surveyed.

The new report entitled Psoriasis: Dermatologists Identify Remaining Opportunities as the Number of Highly Efficacious Biologics Continues to Grow also finds that surveyed dermatologists view a therapy's effect on psoriatic plaques at 12 weeks as the attribute that most influences their prescribing decisions in moderate to severe psoriasis. Clinical data and the opinions of the interviewed thought leaders indicate that Abbott's briakinumab and Centocor Ortho Biotech/Janssen-Cilag's Stelara have advantages over Enbrel on this attribute.

"In previous years, Enbrel has been viewed as the most efficacious therapy for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. However, since Humira's approval for psoriasis in early 2008, those perceptions are gradually changing," said Decision Resources Analyst Irene Koulinska, Sc.D, M.D. "Nevertheless, dermatologists consider Enbrel the safest biologic for psoriasis, a perception that, along with its longer presence on the market relative to Humira and its more-convenient administration relative to Remicade, has significantly contributed to its market-leading status."

The report also finds that Stelara will retain Decision Resources' proprietary clinical gold-standard status for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis through 2018. In 2009, Stelara earned gold-standard status because of competitive advantages in efficacy and delivery over TNF-alpha inhibitors.

About the Report

Psoriasis: Dermatologists Identify Remaining Opportunities as the Number of Highly Efficacious Biologics Continues to Grow is a DecisionBase 2010 report. DecisionBase 2010 is a decision-support tool that provides in-depth analysis of unmet need, physician expectations of new therapies and commercial dynamics to help pharmaceutical companies optimize their investments in drug development.

About Decision Resources

Decision Resources 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.

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions.

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Source: Decision Resources