The Majority of Surveyed Cardiologists and MCOs Consider Amiodarone to be the Most Effective Antiarrhythmic Drug for Maintaining Normal Sinus Rhythm in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Amiodarone’s Strong Antiarrhythmic Efficacy Has Sustained Its Use in Atrial Fibrillation, Despite Its Association With Adverse Events, According to Findings from Decision Resources

BURLINGTON, Mass.--()--Decision Resources, one of the world’s leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that more than 70 percent of surveyed cardiologists and 60 percent of surveyed managed care organizations’ (MCOs) pharmacy directors consider amiodarone (Sanofi-Aventis’s Cordarone, generics) to be the most effective antiarrhythmic drug for maintaining normal sinus rhythm (NSR) in patients with atrial fibrillation. Amiodarone’s superior efficacy, compared with other therapies, has been demonstrated in several clinical studies, including one head-to-head study with Sanofi-Aventis’s Multaq (dronedarone).

The findings from Decision Resources’ analysis of the atrial fibrillation drug market reveal that amiodarone’s strong antiarrhythmic efficacy has sustained its use in atrial fibrillation, despite its association with a range of adverse events. In addition to its ability to maintain NSR, surveyed cardiologists and payers indicate that they are most satisfied with amiodarone’s effects on the time to first atrial fibrillation recurrence. However, cardiologists and payers are least satisfied with amiodarone’s ability to reduce the rate of mortality and to improve patients’ quality of life.

Although a small proportion of surveyed physicians and payers identified Multaq as the most efficacious antiarrhythmic, surveyed cardiologists say that they are most satisfied with Multaq’s efficacy in reducing cardiovascular hospitalization. In Multaq’s pivotal ATHENA trial, it reduced the risk of cardiovascular hospitalization by 26 percent. However, the few payers who chose Multaq as the most efficacious therapy indicated only a neutral level of satisfaction.

“These findings indicate that although cardiologists acknowledge Multaq’s proven effects on cardiovascular hospitalization, these effects fail to resonate with payers,” said Decision Resources Analyst Matthew Killeen, Ph.D. “Although interviewed thought leaders are aware of Multaq’s important safety advantages over amiodarone, they assert that its antiarrhythmic efficacy is relatively modest.”

The findings also reveal that surveyed cardiologists indicate that they would prescribe Aryx’s budiodarone to 20 percent of their atrial fibrillation patients; budiodarone is forecasted to earn an 11 percent patient share in the U.S. atrial fibrillation market by 2019.

Owing to the launch and uptake of several novel oral anticoagulants as well as safe and effective antiarrhythmic drugs, the atrial fibrillation drug market will experience significant growth, increasing from $844 million in 2009 to $6.8 billion in 2019 in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Japan. The burgeoning pipeline of late-stage novel oral anticoagulants that offer significant improvements over current vitamin K antagonists are poised to capture a share of nearly 74 percent of the atrial fibrillation drug market by 2019. The leading anticoagulants are Boehringer Ingelheim’s Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate), Bayer/Johnson & Johnson’s Xarelto (rivaroxaban) and Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer’s Eliquis (apixaban).

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Decision Resources provides a comprehensive view of what is happening in a specific drug market now and in the decade ahead. The research includes analysis of the unmet need and near-term drug development opportunities that exist within a drug market powered by primary research from physicians and payers. The robust market forecast and opportunities analysis is comprised of the Pharmacor 2011 advisory service and the DecisionBase 2011 report series.

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Contacts

Decision Resources, Inc.
Christopher Comfort, 781-993-2597
ccomfort@dresources.com

Contacts

Decision Resources, Inc.
Christopher Comfort, 781-993-2597
ccomfort@dresources.com