Iressa's
sales are poised to increase on positive clinical results suggesting
that AstraZeneca's targeted lung cancer therapy performs better than
standard chemotherapy in many patients, according to a new report,
"Oncology Market Forecast to 2013",
published by pharmaceutical business intelligence
leader Cutting Edge Information.
Iressa's positive clinical trial results will shift prescriptions
away from current market leader Tarceva and back to Iressa, according
to CEI. However, analysts expect that Iressa's annual sales will only
increase to $300 million unless the FDA unrestricts access to the
drug for new patients.
The recent study led by Dr. Edward Kim of the M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center, however, points to new life for Iressa. Though Iressa
prolongs life 7.6 months on average compared to chemotherapy's 8
months, Iressa presents fewer -- but also less severe -- side
effects.
Even more promising, when researchers focused on only those patients
exhibiting an EFGR gene mutation, life expectancy in patients taking
EFGR inhibitor Iressa increased to 8.4 months, whereas those taking
docetaxel decreased to 7.5 months.
"Not only are patients' quality of life better with Iressa, but the
drug also extends life expectancy," says Eric Bolesh, research manager
at Cutting Edge Information. "That's a powerful combination for
oncology treatments."
Oncologists now have the option to prescribe the convenient
pill-based therapy Iressa instead of traditional chemotherapy in
patients who have not responded well to initial chemotherapy.
Cutting Edge Information expects a gradual increase in Iressa's sales
from $258 million to nearly $300 million as physicians slowly respond
to recent clinical results.
But Bolesh cautions, "Too many negative results in the past will
dampen Iressa's sales growth. Some physicians will be leery of
automatically shifting their patients away from traditional therapies
on the basis of only one study."
Cutting Edge Information's report examines
130-plus oncology brands and provides the following market analysis:
- Individual Drug Profiles - Drug profiles include information about
drugs' competitive, strategic and market growth positions.
- Oncology Indication Market Outlook - Detailed outlooks for the
breast, colorectal, lung and prostate cancer, and leukemia markets.
- Drug Manufacturer Profiles - Pipeline and portfolio analyses for
companies that either have established oncology franchises or
exciting development pipelines for new cancer compounds.
Cutting Edge Information
View drug information on Iressa; Tarceva.