Biogen Idec’s long-acting agents to have major impact on hemophilia market

The hemophilia treatment landscape is to undergo a radical shift away from established short-acting therapies, beginning with the launch of US biotech firm Biogen Idec’s (Nasdaq: BIIB) long-acting rFVIII and rFIX products this year.

According to research and consulting firm GlobalData latest report, the patient shares of currently marketed short-acting recombinant products will erode considerably by 2022 across seven major markets (the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan).

Brooke Baker, GlobalData’s senior analyst covering oncology and hematology, says: “Biogen Idec’s new treatments have the potential to reduce the number of weekly prophylactic infusions and greatly improve patients’ convenience and quality of life. By pricing its long-acting agents, namely Eloctate [antihemophilic Factor (recombinant), Fc fusion protein] and Alprolix [coagulation Factor IX (recombinant), Fc fusion protein], in line with the established short-acting recombinant factors, Biogen Idec aims to incentivize patients to switch from their previous therapies.”