Trends-in-MedicineLynne Peterson,
Senior Writer
Trends-in-Medicine has no financial connections with any pharmaceutical or medical device company. The information and opinions expressed have been compiled or arrived at from sources believed to be reliable and in good faith, but no liability is assumed for information contained in this newsletter.
Copyright© 2002
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October 2002 issues (click links below for full story)
Contact Lens Update
Summary: Toric lens sales are up and average of 8% year-to-year, and the outlook is for sales to increase an average of 6% over the next 12 months. Performance is the key factor in the selection of a toric lens. CooperVision, especially its new Encore toric lens, is the up-and-comer, taking market share at the expense of Bausch & Lomb. Colored contact lens sales are up an average of 6% year-to-year, and the outlook is for sales to increase an average of 3% over the next 12 months. Novartis' CIBA Vision/Wesley Jessen is the top vendor of colored cosmetic lenses, though colored lenses from Ocular Sciences (OSI) and Johnson & Johnson/Vistakon are getting a little more attention. J&J/Vistakon and CooperVision sales reps were ranked the best, with B&L the worst. The opinion of Ciba/WJ sales reps has declined over the past year. Optometrists keep little or no inventory of toric or colored lenses, depending on trial sets to sell these lenses.
American Academy of Ophthalmology
Summary: The refractive surgery (LASIK) market is stalled, and the outlook isn't for a quick pickup. Wavefront technology was a hot topic and is likely to catch on, but it won't boost procedure volume any time soon. Interest is growing in InterLase's laser for creating LASIK flaps. C&C Vision, ThinOptX and Calhoun Vision all have implantable IOLs that look interesting and deserve watching. Alcon probably will not be able to use the C-98-03 trial data as a confirmatory study for FDA approval of anecortave, which means it will need positive results from both the pivotal Phase III and the European registration study for FDA approval. Six-month data may be enough for FDA approval of Bausch & Lomb's back-of-the-eye steroid implant, Envision, in uveitis but longer term data probably will be required for macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema.
American Society For Bone and Mineral Research
Summary: Doctors consider the various bisphosphenates fairly equivalent, though dosing and administration regimens vary, and less frequent dosing may have advantages. However, bisphosphenate use is likely to increase as doctors pull back from hormone therapy after the findings of the Women's Health Initiative. Doctors are excited about parathyroid hormone (PTH), but most plan to use it only for selected, high risk patients with significant osteoporosis. Amgen/NPS Pharmaceuticals' calcimimetic, AMG-073, which is in Phase II trials, looks promising. NPS/GlaxoSmithKline's calcilytic is further away but also worth watching.
2002 Retina Congress
Summary: Sources remain dubious about the outlook for Bausch & Lomb's back-of-the-eye steroid implant, Envision. Bristol-Myers Squibb's Kenalog was the hottest topic at the 2002 Retina Congress, and it's being used to treat almost everything - posterior uveitis, AMD, DME, and more. Doctors are disappointed with Novartis/QLT's Visudyne, and many are doing TTT off-label for AMD, but doctors are split on its safety and effectiveness. The new product that got the most positive reception was Genentech's VEGF, rhuFAB-V2. The 12-month data on Alcon's anecortave was well-received, but there was little critical or in-depth discussion, and most doctors did not even realize that there were significant dropouts in the trial.