New report compares efficacy of Plavix, Effient in treating patients with ACS

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 56 percent of surveyed interventional cardiologists who prescribe Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi-Aventis' Plavix in high doses, consider it to be comparable in efficacy to Daiichi Sankyo/Eli Lilly's recently-launched Effient.

The findings in the new Physician & Payer Forum report entitled Physician and Payer Attitudes Towards Effient, Brilinta and Other Novel Oral Antiplatelets for ACS and CHD finds that nearly two-thirds of surveyed interventional cardiologists in the U.S. say Effient is the best antiplatelet for reducing clinical events while non-interventional cardiologists' preference is split almost evenly between Effient and the multi-blockbuster drug, Plavix. Additionally, only 8 percent of emergency room physicians perceive Effient to be superior to Plavix for reducing clinical events.

"In the report, we have identified a lack of awareness among surveyed clinicians about the positive data shown for Effient in the TRITON-TIMI clinical trial with regard to evidence in reducing clinical events when compared to Plavix," said Decision Resources Analyst Conor Walsh, Ph.D. "Additionally, among managed care organizations' pharmacy directors, this lack of awareness regarding the TRITON-TIMI data was even greater than that of surveyed physicians."

The report also finds that, when asked their general impressions of AstraZeneca's Brilinta based on the information provided to them, approximately 90 percent of surveyed clinicians believe Brilinta offers a clinical advance over existing agents, with 47 percent of interventional cardiologists, 40 percent of non-interventional cardiologists, and 30 percent of emergency room physicians believing it to offer a major advance.

"Despite a positive view of Brilinta by physicians, MCO pharmacy directors indicate they would look unfavorably on Brilinta and other new antiplatelets if they carried a price premium over Plavix," Dr. Walsh added.

The report also finds that the while Plavix and Sanofi-Aventis/Roche's Ticlid are included on either tier one or tier two of 70 to 85 percent of surveyed MCO drug plans, Effient is confined to tier 3 in 60 percent of commercial plans and is excluded from 35 percent of Medicare prescription drug plans.

Physician and Payer Attitudes Towards Effient, Brilinta and Other Novel Oral Antiplatelets for ACS and CHD is based on a U.S. survey of 57 interventional cardiologists, 52 non-interventional cardiologists, 50 emergency room physicians and 20 MCO pharmacy directors.

SOURCE Decision Resources