Deliverable: Summary and Transcripts

Objectives:

• Elicit prescribers’ perceptions of Januvia
• Determine the facilitators and barriers to Januvia use
• Understand the typical Januvia patient profile
• Establish the impact of Januvia’s approval on the use of other agents (Actos/Avandia, Insulin, Byetta) and expected trends
• Ascertain Merck’s level of sampling and get a sense for the percentage of patients that are currently taking samples versus the commercial drug
• Project the expected impact of a January Galvus launch on use of Byetta, Januvia, and other therapies

Products Highlighted:

• Januvia™ (sitagliptin); Merck & Co.
• Byetta® (exenatide); Amylin Pharmaceuticals/ Eli Lilly and Co.
• Galvus® (vildagliptin); Novartis Pharmaceuticals
• Exubera® (insulin human [rDNA origin]); Pfizer Inc.

• Current Type 2 diabetes therapies and trends
• Experience and impact of Byetta
• Experience and impact of Januvia
• Expected use and impact of Galvus
• Impressions of inhaled insulins

Quotes:

• “As mentioned, Byetta in our practice has had … impact on prescribing habits…”/li>
• “I think that would help the burden of taking the drug. Unless cost came down I would still be using it in the same population (x%) ”
• ”Insurance reimbursement problem has prevented me from widely prescribing this medication. I believe this drug has its best place in early therapy. …”
• “The main thing that will inhibit DPP-4 inhibitors from displacing SUs is …”

Screening Criteria:

• 13 Endocrinologists and Primary Care Physicians
• High volume treaters of Type 2 diabetes
• Large urban or academic affiliated practice settings
• Byetta prescribers, and mix of Januvia users and nonusers

Representative Institutions:

• Brigham and Women's Hospital
• Christ Medical Center
• Golden Gate Endocrine Specialists
• Joslin Diabetes Center
• Midwestern Endocrinology
• University of Virginia
• Vanderbilt Medical Center
• Frankford Hospital