Methicillin-Resistant Staphyloccocus Aureus Infections (MRSA) | Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) | Current Treatment | Physician Insights | US | 2017

Generically available IV antibiotics commonly used as outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) (e.g., IV vancomycin, daptomycin) have extensive clinical histories, benefit from strong physician familiarity, and garner the majority of the OPAT market for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Furthermore, oral antibiotics (e.g., Merck & Co.’s Sivextro, generic oral linezolid) experience uptake in the outpatient setting and are competition for established OPAT drugs and follow-on long-acting agents, including Allergan’s Dalvance and the Medicines Company’s Orbactiv. New and older brands will need to offer improvements in key areas of differentiation to gain uptake in this crowded market.

Questions Answered:

Generic IV  vancomycin and daptomycin dominate the OPAT market for the treatment of MRSA infections. What is the current uptake of branded IV agents in first-, second-, and third-line treatment of outpatients diagnosed with skin infections, diabetic foot infections, or bone and joint infections caused by MRSA?

Inpatients are the most important patient population for OPAT drugs as the majority of MRSA patients initiate OPAT following hospitalization. What are the most important factors that influence OPAT initiation and drug selection? What are the top reasons why outpatients discontinue their initial OPAT protocol prematurely (by product)?

Convenience, safety, and stronger efficacy in difficult-to-treat MRSA infections are the key areas of product differentiation for branded IV antibiotics. How do prescribers anticipate changing their use of branded products for OPAT in the next 12 months? What are the most frequently encountered clinical obstacles that limit brand prescribing as OPAT? How do reimbursement and access hurdles affect the prescribing of brands?

Branded products for OPAT have limited use as first-line therapies. Which therapies are MRSA outpatients usually administered before they are initiated on branded products such as Allergan’s Teflaro? How have the long-acting agents Allergan’s Dalvance and the Medicines Company’s Orbactiv influenced the management of MRSA infections in the outpatient setting? How will the availability of generic oral linezolid and daptomycin affect the uptake of OPAT drugs and the prescribing of Sivextro?

Scope:·

Markets covered: United States

Methodology: Surveys of 103 infectious disease (ID) specialists, completed in March 2017.

Indication coverage: MRSA infections, including skin infections, diabetic foot infections, and bone and joint infections caused by MRSA.

Key drugs covered: Dalvance, Orbactiv, Sivextro, Teflaro, Tygacil, Vibativ, daptomycin, linezolid, vancomycin.

Key companies mentioned: Allergan, Clinigen, the Medicines Company, Theravance, Novartis, Merck, Pfizer.