EAST HANOVER, N.J., July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- According to new NOP World Health research, physicians consider compliance and lower cost as the key benefits to prescribing Pfizer’s Caduet -- the first single agent indicated for treating both hypertension and high cholesterol. Just launched in May 2004, Caduet is already prescribed by about 14% of physicians -- and 42% of doctors anticipate they will increase their usage of the new drug.
Caduet’s status as a dual therapy drives physician perceptions that it will increase patient compliance, given the convenience of taking one drug, rather than two separate agents, to treat both high blood pressure and high cholesterol. In addition, physicians believe patients will see a price advantage with Caduet, since they now can treat two conditions with one product.
These benefits are especially appealing to primary care physicians, who see hypertension patients with elevated LDL as the most appropriate patient type for Caduet. This patient type represents a significant population, with NOP World Health research showing that 36% of patients have hypertension with concomitant dyslipidemia.
Pfizer Faces Challenges in Marketing Caduet
Pfizer may face some challenges in marketing Caduet to cardiologists who, in contrast to primary care doctors, express concerns about using fixed combination agents. Cardiologists generally avoid fixed combination drugs, due to perceived difficulties in titration.
Pfizer faces another challenge in cardiologists’ expressed preference for prescribing an ACE Inhibitor plus a statin rather than a CCB plus a statin for treating concomitant hypertension and dyslipidemia. ACEs -- which are appropriate for a wide range of patient types and are available generically -- could prove to be Caduet’s biggest competitors, particularly when used in combination with a statin.
“In spite of the general preference to use ACEs rather than CCBs for first-line treatment, there are many patient types where additional concomitant conditions would lead physicians to choose CCBs as their first-choice option,” according to Andrea McDonough, Senior Director of Market Events for NOP World Health. “For example, CCBs are recommended for hypertension patients with a high risk of cardiovascular disease or with diabetes. CCB use also is encouraged for African American patients with hypertension.
“All of these groups would be natural targets for Caduet. In addition, metabolic syndrome patients -- who have four or five concomitant conditions -- would benefit greatly from Caduet, given their medication burden.”
More than 250 Physicians Share Reactions to Caduet
NOP World Health bases its information about Caduet on its newest Event Flash(TM) Study -- Physician Reactions to FDA Approval of Caduet. The study was conducted from May 12 - 17 via Internet survey of 251 physicians, including 75 general and family practitioners, 75 internal medicine specialists and 101 cardiologists. All physicians who participated treat at least 35 to 40 dyslipidemia patients each month.
About NOP World Health ...
A leading supplier of primary research to the global healthcare community, NOP World Health is the health-focused arm of NOP World -- a top-ten market research power worldwide. Bringing together some of the most renowned US and European research firms in a unified global network, NOP World is a wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-based United Business Media plc ( LSE: UBM) .
NOP World Health was formed in February by integrating three healthcare research leaders: Market Measures/Cozint, the premier supplier of US market and disease state analyses ... NOP Healthcare, UK-domestic and international quantitative and qualitative ad hoc consultancy and omnibus services ... and Strategic Marketing Corporation, the leader in strategic problem solving and consulting.
About United Business Media plc ...
United Business Media (http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com/) is a leading provider of business-to-business media solutions. Its products and services help companies around the world meet their market information needs. In addition to NOP World, UBM’s businesses include PR Newswire, the world’s leading news distribution service and CMP, the business-to-business media and exhibition group operating in focused market sectors, such as hi-tech, healthcare, property, entertainment, jewelry and fashion in the US, UK, Asia and Europe.
Contact Information ...
For more information on NOP World Health’s Physician Reactions to FDA Approval of Caduet, please contact Andrea McDonough at 609-683-6364 or amcdonough@nopworld.com.
NOP World Health
CONTACT: Ilene Siegalovsky of NOP World Health, +1-800-456-4405,ext. 3515
