Tecfidera got off to a fast start in terms of the number of physicians who prescribed it and the number of patients who went on the treatment, Tony Kingsley, Biogen's executive vice president of global commercial operations, told IBD. More than 3,500 physicians have prescribed it. About 25% of Tecfidera patients were not on a prior therapy, while about 75% switched from a different disease-modifying MS therapy.
"I think this said Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst Chris Raymond. "You've got the best of both worlds. It's an oral therapy for a chronic disease, which is an advantage.
Aubagio, have safety-related deterrents.
Tecfidera is the third oral treatment for MS to come to market. Gilenya from Novartis AG (NVS) won approval in 2010 and Aubagio from Sanofi (SNY) got the nod in 2012.
Sometimes physicians may be hesitant to prescribe a drug that just launched, Kingsley says. "But the broad number of physicians writing prescriptions and putting newly diagnosed patients on Tecfidera are positive indicators about the broad acceptance of the product in the market, and that people think it has a very good profile," he said.
Read More At Investor's Business Daily
