Contributions
Abstract: EP1612
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Therapy - Immunomodulation/Immunosuppression
Objective: Drug switching in MS patients due to tolerability issues or lack of efficacy is a common finding. The objective of this research is to study the distribution trends of the approved disease modifying therapies (DMTs) and treatment switch patterns amongst the MS population in the United States.
Methods: Data-Driven metrics proprietary to IQVIA, spanning over a period of 5 years (2013-2017), were used to inform this research: Medical (DX), Pharmacy (RX) Claims data, and Primary Market Research Data. These data were leveraged to determine the drug consumption rate for all patients by refill rate of prescription and CPT codes. A tolerance of 5 days, as treatment holiday, was considered, for patients to refill a prescription. This information, enabled indicating treatment paths for multiple drugs.
Results: A total of 420,000 MS patients were considered for this analysis. Of the total patients diagnosed with MS, 76,3% received a DMT, while less than a quarter were untreated, mainly patients with progressive forms of MS. The proportion of patients switching to another DMT within the first year of initiating therapy is estimated, not to exceed 21%. The average switch rates increase up to 32.6% of the patients, 3 years after starting therapy. The switch rates were higher in patients with injectable treatments (highest for copaxone) compared to orals (lowest for fingolimod). The lowest treatment switch was observed in patients with clinically isolated syndromes (CIS) at around 11% of patients switching to a new DMT.
Conclusions: Drug switches are not uncommon in MS patients for multiple reasons. Switching to a new DMT remains relatively low after the first year, attaining a third of the patients after 3 years of therapy. Lowest switch rates were observed in patients treated with orals compared to injectables. CIS patients tend to switch to new DMTs less frequently compared to other clinical forms.
Disclosure: All authors are full time employess of IQVIA, NO other disclosures.
Abstract: EP1612
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Therapy - Immunomodulation/Immunosuppression
Objective: Drug switching in MS patients due to tolerability issues or lack of efficacy is a common finding. The objective of this research is to study the distribution trends of the approved disease modifying therapies (DMTs) and treatment switch patterns amongst the MS population in the United States.
Methods: Data-Driven metrics proprietary to IQVIA, spanning over a period of 5 years (2013-2017), were used to inform this research: Medical (DX), Pharmacy (RX) Claims data, and Primary Market Research Data. These data were leveraged to determine the drug consumption rate for all patients by refill rate of prescription and CPT codes. A tolerance of 5 days, as treatment holiday, was considered, for patients to refill a prescription. This information, enabled indicating treatment paths for multiple drugs.
Results: A total of 420,000 MS patients were considered for this analysis. Of the total patients diagnosed with MS, 76,3% received a DMT, while less than a quarter were untreated, mainly patients with progressive forms of MS. The proportion of patients switching to another DMT within the first year of initiating therapy is estimated, not to exceed 21%. The average switch rates increase up to 32.6% of the patients, 3 years after starting therapy. The switch rates were higher in patients with injectable treatments (highest for copaxone) compared to orals (lowest for fingolimod). The lowest treatment switch was observed in patients with clinically isolated syndromes (CIS) at around 11% of patients switching to a new DMT.
Conclusions: Drug switches are not uncommon in MS patients for multiple reasons. Switching to a new DMT remains relatively low after the first year, attaining a third of the patients after 3 years of therapy. Lowest switch rates were observed in patients treated with orals compared to injectables. CIS patients tend to switch to new DMTs less frequently compared to other clinical forms.
Disclosure: All authors are full time employess of IQVIA, NO other disclosures.