Tapentadol ER has advantages over Lyrica in reducing diabetic neuropathy pain intensity

Surveyed US neurologists and managed care organization (MCO) pharmacy directors agree that reducing pain intensity is one of the attributes that most influences their decisions regarding prescribing and formulary status, respectively, in painful diabetic neuropathy, according to a new study from advisory firm Decision Resources.

Clinical data and the opinions of interviewed thought leaders indicate that US health care giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and German drugmaker Grunenthal’s tapentadol ER (Nucynta ER/Palexia SR) has advantages on this attribute over Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) Lyrica (pregabalin), the sales-leading agent for painful diabetic neuropathy.

The DecisionBase 2012 report, titled Painful Diabetic Neuropathy: Neurologists Identify Unmet Efficacy Needs and the Emerging Therapies that Could Challenge the Market Leader Pregabalin, also finds that, based on clinical data and the opinions of interviewed thought leaders, Lyrica has earned Decision Resources’ proprietary clinical gold standard status for the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy.