Although crowded, the RA market contains clear pathways for existing players and new entrants to navigate the evolving landscape and expand their market share, according to Spherix Global Insights.
EXTON, PA., February 23, 2024 — Amidst the array of advanced treatment avenues available for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ranging from legacy TNF inhibitors and their newer biosimilar counterparts, JAK inhibitors, and various biologics with alternate mechanisms of action (MOA), the ongoing necessity for patients to transition between therapies prompts rheumatologists to seek innovative pathways towards ensuring optimal patient care.
As demand for improved outcomes rises, it is vital for manufacturers to understand the top drivers catalyzing switching decisions in the well-established, yet continually evolving, RA landscape. Ongoing research from Spherix Global Insight’s Patient Chart Dynamix™: Rheumatoid Arthritis (US) service, marking its eighth year of tracking the US RA switch market, sheds light on these key treatment trends and leading opportunities for drug manufacturers.
Analysis from the most recent update, including feedback from 201 US rheumatologists and 1,076 RA patients who recently switched from one biologic or JAK inhibitor to another agent, reveal that TNF inhibitors, led by AbbVie’s Humira and Amgen’s Enbrel, continue to garner the lion’s share of first-line advanced systemic treatment. However, the dynamic in second and later-lines of therapy is shifting. While “TNF cycling” remains common, accounting for about one-third of all switches, this trend has been declining since 2017. Physicians are increasingly reaching for JAK inhibitors (AbbVie’s Rinvoq, Pfizer’s Xeljanz, and Eli Lilly’s Olumiant), and other alternative mechanisms (Genentech’s Actemra and Rituxan, Sanofi-Regeneron’s Kevzara, and BMS’ Orencia) for their patients, signaling a change in treatment preferences. Though few switches to adalimumab biosimilars have occurred following their introduction in January 2023, rheumatologists indicate a growing comfort in their prescribing and expect biosimilars to play a larger role in the switch market in the coming months.
Practicing rheumatologists report that among the RA patients under their management, on average, 57% are currently treated with advanced systemic therapies, with an additional 22% of patients identified as potential candidates. This expands the potential treated pool of RA patients to 79% of those currently under care.
Of high note, three-in-ten RA patients receiving advanced therapeutics switch brands annually. As TNF inhibitors lose ground to alternative mechanisms, the future of RA treatment holds promise for innovative therapies tailored to individual patient needs; with efficacy, convenience, MOA, and disease severity emerging as key influencers in the decision-making process. Brands that excel in these areas are well-positioned to capture market share and reshape treatment approaches. Indeed, most participating rheumatologists agree with the propensity to move to an alternative mechanism following primary failure of a TNF and that there remains a high unmet need for new biologics to treat RA.
As the landscape of RA treatment continues to evolve, insights from Patient Chart Dynamix™ offer valuable guidance on navigating this mature market effectively, revealing growing opportunity for alternative mechanisms and established agents to fulfill both efficacy and patient/physician preference requirements.
Patient Chart Dynamix™ is an independent, data-driven service unveiling real patient management patterns through rigorous analysis of large-scale patient chart audits. Insights reveal the “why” behind treatment decisions, include year over year trending to quantify key aspects of market evolution, and integrate specialists’ attitudinal and demographic data, connecting trends at the patient level to the prescribing physicians.
About Spherix Global Insights
Spherix Global Insights is a leading provider of market research, business intelligence and advisory services to the global life sciences industry. The company’s unique service offerings are powered by deep therapeutic knowledge, the Spherix Network specialty physician panel, and commercially relevant analyses to enable strategic decision-making by our valued customers.
A trusted advisor and industry thought leader, Spherix Global Insights provides specialized market expertise in six (6) focused therapeutic areas including: dermatology, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, rheumatology, and ophthalmology.
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Spherix Global Insights Contact
Maxine Yarnall, Rheumatology Franchise Head
Maxine.yarnall@spherixglobalinsights.com
NOTICE: All company, brand or product names in this press release are trademarks of their respective holders. The findings and opinions expressed within are based on Spherix Global Insight’s analysis and do not imply a relationship with or endorse.
