Abbott/Eisai's Humira most favored among biologics for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, says DR report

US gastroenterologists survey by USA-based advisory firm Decision Resources estimate that (assuming no new data on adverse events emerge) they will treat fewer Crohn's disease patients with Centocor Ortho Biotech/Merck/Mitsubishi Tanabe's Remicade (infliximab) by the end of 2010, while the percentage of biologics-treated patients receiving Abbott/Eisai's Humira (adalimumab) will increase to 36%. Surveyed gastroenterologists also indicate that the percentage of patients treated with a biologic who receive UCB/Otsuka's Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) will rise from 9% to 12% within the next year.

DR's new Physician & Payer Forum report, titled The Expanding Biologics Landscape in CD and UC: Clinician and Payer Perspective on the Role of Premium-Priced Biologics in CD and UC Treatment also finds that, on average, surveyed gastroenterologists report prescribing Remicade to 31% of their ulcerative colitis patients. 53% of surveyed gastroenterologists prescribe Remicade to between 1% and 20% of their ulcerative colitis patients, while 13% of surveyed gastroenterologists prescribe Remicade to between 91% and 100% of patients.

Additionally, the report finds that 8% of gastroenterologists report that they are not currently treating any of their ulcerative colitis patients with Remicade.