VIfor IV revs down 6.6% in 202023 Aug 2021 14:18
From Proactive Investor report - the business case and notes IV revs down
Shield Therapeutic’s lead product is Feraccru, which will be marketed as Accrufer
in the US, an oral prescription-only treatment for iron deficiency. In cases of
severe iron deficiency anaemia, the first-line prescription treatments are oral
iron salts e.g. ferrous sulphate, ferrous fumarate, ferrous gluconate. Nausea,
heartburn, pain, constipation, and diarrhoea are the most commonly reported
side effects, occurring in up to 40% of people receiving iron supplementation,
across all types of iron preparation, frequently limiting compliance. Iron salts
tend to be poorly absorbed particularly if there is inflammation, which can limit
efficacy in case of some types of diseases.
Iron salts dissolve and sit in the GI tract and cause side effects, and this can
often exacerbate the underlying disease. More than 90% of ingested iron remains
unabsorbed. (source: Management of iron deficiency anaemia in inflammatory
bowel disease; Stein and Dignass, Annals of Gastroenterology).
IV iron therapy is recommended as a second-line treatment for iron-deficient
patients who do not tolerate or do not respond to oral treatments within
the first two weeks of treatment in cases of severe anaemia or those with
certain underlying disease. The therapy is also recommended for those receiving
erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, to stimulate the production of red blood cells.
IV iron is administered as one or two infusions of 500-1000mg, always in a
hospital or clinic setting because it carries the risk of a severe and potentially fatal
allergic reaction, adding to the existing burden and costs for patients. IV Iron is
considered to be invasive and many physicians are reluctant to prescribe given
the safety risk, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. The Swiss company, Vifor
Pharma (VIFN) sells the market-leading branded injectable iron Ferinject, known
as Injectafer in the US
The Swiss company, Vifor Pharma (VIFN) sells the market-leading branded
injectable iron Ferinject, known as Injectafer in the US and holds around 50%
of the global IV iron market segment by value. Vifor reports that its US partner
recorded FY 2020 net sales for Injectafer of US$415.5mln, a decline of 6.6%
compared to the prior year and that global FY 2020 Ferinject/Injectafer sales were
affected by COVID-19 restrictions, which limited infusions.
This provides STX with an unprecedented opportunity to gain traction and raise
awareness. We have seen that those with underlying conditions account for over
80% of the patient pool, offering a compelling commercial and clinical rationale
for the Accrufer launch.
Sign In
Follow the stocks
