AdComm experts were split on whether to approve Amgen’s Tavneos (avacopan) in 2021, however, this sentiment has not been reflected in physician uptake and perception of Tavneos which has been positive, according to REACH Market Research.

NEWTON, Mass., March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Tavneos (avacopan), a C5aR inhibitor, is a first-in-class FDA-approved steroid-sparing adjunctive therapy for severe, active microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) or granulomatosis polyangiitis (GPA), two forms of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). AAV is a chronic organ-threatening autoimmune condition marked by inflammation of small-to-medium blood vessels.

To access REACH’s AAV MarketVue® Report, visit https://reachmr.com or contact us at info@reachmr.com.

Previously a life-threatening disease, there has been improvement in prognosis for AAV since introduction of immunosuppressive treatments to manage the condition – non-steroidal immunosuppressants with corticosteroids is the current standard of care.

While corticosteroids effectively induce and sustain remission, findings from REACH’s MarketVue® assessment show that >60% of surveyed physicians report high need for steroid-sparing induction and maintenance treatments, due to concerns over safety associated with long-term steroid use. As one rheumatologist comments: “To not require steroids would be very good, and that was the purpose of the avacopan trial.”

Physicians are eager for steroid-sparing treatments, which explains the positive feedback about avacopan’s ability to get patients off steroids in as quickly as a month.

Meghana Pandit, REACH Analyst: “To supplant current therapies, newer agents must be able to induce long-term remission, reduce corticosteroid burden, and prevent relapses.”

Few companies are developing therapies for AAV to induce remission on minimal steroids; the main primary outcome across AAV trials, including:

  • AstraZeneca’s benralizumab for eosinophilic GPA (EGPA)
  • GlaxoSmithKline’s depemokimab for EGPA

Presently, there are no late-stage trials for MPA and GPA, which affirms Tavneos’ strong position in the AAV market.

About MarketVue®

MarketVue® reports are a rare disease focused, fresh alternative to traditionally long and outdated market research reports. MarketVue® reports cover rare disease epidemiology and key market dynamics based on research from key opinion leader interviews, physician surveys, and secondary data.