Atrial Fibrillation – Unmet Need – Unmet Need – Atrial Fibrillation (US/EU)

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is characterized by irregular and frequently accelerated heartbeats in the atria. It is associated with severe cardiovascular diseases, notably an elevated risk of stroke, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. To control heart rate and restore normal cardiac rhythm in AF patients, rate-control drugs such as metoprolol and diltiazem or rhythm control drugs such as flecainide are used. The directly acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) like Eliquis and Xarelto aid in stroke prevention and have become widely used. In this report, we ask cardiologists to evaluate and compare current treatments and the attributes they consider important for treatment decisions. We also discuss the areas of unmet need and attributes that new drugs should exhibit to serve the AF patients and gain a competitive edge in the atrial fibrillation market.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

• How do cardiologists rate current AF drugs, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Xarelto and Bristol Myers Squibb’s Eliquis?
• Which drug attributes are key influencers, which have limited impact, and which are hidden opportunities?
• What trade-offs across different efficacy and safety attributes would cardiologists be willing to make for a new drug for atrial fibrillation?
• How can dosing frequency, route of administration, safety, and tolerability influence physician preference?

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Unmet Need offers insight into key treatment drivers and goals, the performance of current therapies, and the remaining commercial opportunities, enabling you to:

• Evaluate clinical and nonclinical product attributes that influence treatment decisions through physicians’ weightings and analysis of stated vs. derived importance.
• Pinpoint areas of high unmet need by assessing current drug performance against key attributes and treatment drivers.
• Analyze market scenarios for different target product profiles using the TPP Simulator.

Markets covered: United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany

Primary research: Survey of 60 U.S. and 31 European cardiologists fielded in February 2025

Key companies: Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Bausch Health

Key drugs: Eliquis, Xarelto, metoprolol, flecainide, amiodarone, diltiazem hydrochloride, warfarin