Alzheimer's Disease Prescribing trends indicate that neurologists are not adhering to guidelines

Introduction

A lack of prescriber adherence to both marketing licenses and pharmacoeconomic guidelines represents both a challenge and opportunity for pharmaceutical companies marketing current Alzheimer's disease drugs. Indication expansion between disease severities may not be a viable commercial option; conversely, stricter guidelines by bodies such as the UK's NICE will not necessarily threaten the market.

Scope of this report

Treatment trends of front-line Alzheimer's disease drug prescribers, based on a survey of 181 neurologists.

Insight into neurologist's perception of marketed and pipeline drugs according to Datamonitor's primary research.

Rating of unmet needs in Alzheimer's disease pharmacotherapy.

In-depth interviews with five key international opinion leaders.

Research and analysis highlights

Datamonitor's survey shows that symptomatic improvement is still a high priority, indicating that neurologists would welcome a new non-disease modifying drug if it was differentiated from the current cognitive enhancers on efficacy or side effects. In order to achieve this in the minds of neurologists, an alternative mode of action is required.

Datamonitor forecasts that the introduction of disease modifying drugs (e.g. Alzhemed, Flurizan) will not necessarily threaten the acetylcholine esterase inhibitor market, in fact, treatment with such drugs will extend the therapeutic window for symptomatic drugs, resulting in an opportunity for key players in this market.

Datamonitor believes that the recently published NICE guidelines will only have a modest impact on Alzheimer's disease drug sales in the UK. From looking at survey reported current prescribing trends and relating this to adherence with previous NICE Alzheimer's disease drug guidelines, prescribers do not appear to guideline-prescribe.

Key reasons to read this report

Understand differential treatment and unmet needs in different disease severities.

Benchmark brand awareness and neurologists perceptions surrounding product positioning in order to formulate lifecycle management strategies.

Validate new product forecasting based on diagnosis and treatment rates, and the likely rate of uptake for new products.

Published: 20 December 2006

Format: PDF
Table of Contents
Price: $15,200.00 / GBP8,360.00