Brands & Strategies: Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

In This Issue...

The market for multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies is dominated by a handful of key players-Biogen Idec, Serono, Schering AG, and Teva-who produce premium priced therapies including interferon-beta (Biogen Idec' s Avonex, Serono' s Rebif, and Schering AG' s Betaseron) and Teva' s Copaxone. Despite the commercial success of existing drugs, a high level of unmet clinical need exists, providing ample market opportunity for new treatments that demonstrate improved efficacy, tolerability, and convenience in comparison to currently available treatments.

Questions Answered in This Report

• Competitive dynamics: Market-leading recombinant interferon-beta therapies, such as Biogen Idec' s Avonex, Serono' s Rebif, and Schering AG' s Betaseron, are involved in an intensely competitive arena-from both a within-class perspective and from the other leading MS agent, Teva' s altered peptide ligand, Copaxone. How have the leading competitors positioned their brands for success? Which interferon-beta drugs will continue to succeed in the market?
• Market dynamics: The introduction of guidelines for the approval of biosimilar medicinal products in Europe will dramatically affect the market for recombinant interferon-beta. When will biosimilar interferon-beta launch in the major markets? What level of uptake will biosimilars experience and which branded drugs will be most affected?
• Brand dynamics: Following its withdrawal over safety concerns, Biogen Idec' s Tysabri has relaunched following an in-depth review of the drug by US and European regulators. How will Tysabri' s availability impact the MS market? What effect will safety concerns have on Tysabri' s commercial success?
• Key events: Few new drugs have been successfully developed for the treatment of MS in recent years, leaving the market to established competitors. What new drugs are forecast to enter the MS market between 2005 and 2010 and when will they launch? What products are being developed in the major MS competitors' pipelines?

Scope

• Markets Covered: United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, and Japan.
• Market Analysis: Annualized 5-year sales forecasts presented by region, drug class, molecule, and brand for 2005 to 2010, including a breakdown of branded versus generic sales for each market and the impact of key events during the forecast period. Annualized forecast of total prevalent and diagnosed cases for each of the major markets from 2005 to 2010.
• Company Analysis: Detailed discussion of major competitors including Biogen Idec, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Serono, and Schering AG. Includes analysis of each company' s MS product portfolio, strategic positioning, licensing strategy, post-marketing clinical trials, and development pipeline.
• Brand Analysis: The report features an in-depth discussion of leading brands in the MS market, including approval history, sales and market position, SWOT analysis, annualized sales forecast, promotional efforts, and on-going life cycle management initiatives.