Despite minimal uptake in Crohn's market, Stelara's premium price will result in nearly $337 million sales in 2018 and briakinumab $130 million

In the Crohn's disease drug market, the premium price of Johnson & Johnson units Centocor Ortho Biotech/Janssen-Cilag's Stelara (ustekinumab) and Abbott Laboratories' briakinumab will drive robust sales for both of these interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23 inhibitors in 2018 in the USA, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, concludes a report from Decision Resources.

The Pharmacor 2010 findings from the topic entitled Crohn's Disease - an inflammatory disease of the intestines - reveals that Stelara will earn sales of nearly $337 million in 2018, following its launch for the indication in 2014 in the USA and Europe. Briakinumab, which is also expected to be priced at a significant premium over other marketed biologics for Crohn's disease, will earn just over $130 million in 2018. Briakinumab will launch for the indication in 2015 in the US and in Europe, Decision Resources believes. Although Stelara and briakinumab will achieve robust sales, neither agent is expected to garner substantial patient share.

"Following the approval of Stelara for psoriasis last year, ongoing clinical trials have revealed that Crohn's disease patients will likely require a dose of Stelara which is twice as large as the dose used in psoriasis treatment - a dosing scenario such as this will translate into a premium price, which will heavily constrain the use of Stelara and other IL-12/IL-23 inhibitors among Crohn's disease patients," said Decision Resources analyst Kathryn Benton. "However, despite minimal uptake following their launches, the high price of Stelara and briakinumab will contribute to healthy sales for both agents," she added.