RESEARCH - Rheumatologists have plenty of choice among biologics for RA - where will Actemra (tocilizumab) find its niche?

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Rheumatologists Have Plenty Of Choice Among Biologic Agents For RA -

Where Will Actemra Find Its Niche?

MedicalNewsToday.com

Article Date: 03 Mar 2010 - 4:00 PST

BioTrends Research Group released topline findings from LaunchTrends®:

ACTEMRA, Wave 1, highlighting the market uptake of the product at one

month post launch. Actemra (tocilizumab), marketed by Roche-Genentech,

is a new IL-6 inhibitor with monthly dosing by IV infusion. The study

results are based on an on-line survey completed by 77 rheumatologists

in late February.

The surveyed rheumatologists are excited to have a new biologic agent

that offers a unique mechanism of action and every one of the

respondents intends to use Actemra in their practice although the

timeframe for adoption does vary. Among those surveyed, 38% have

started patients on Actemra and 68% have seen the representative for

Actemra. Although rheumatologists report that Actemra is most likely

to replace BMS's Orencia and Roche-Genentech's own Rituxan, patient

origination reports indicated that 60% of the newly started Actemra

patients were actually switched from a TNF agent.

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Read the full article here:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/180978.php

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