GSK's combo drug "to be BPH gold standard by 2011"

GlaxoSmithKline's tamsulosin/dutasteride pill is positioned to overtake the UK drug major's earlier product, Avodart (dutasteride), as the clinical "gold standard" for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, says a new report from US market intelligence firm Decision Resources. The new drug combination has competitive advantages in efficacy, safety, tolerability and delivery, noted DR, stating that it will earn a 10% patient share in the US BPH market in 2011.

According to study, entitled Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Subtle Improvements over Current Therapies Would Mean Palpable Opportunity for Drug Developers, a BPH drug with a lower incidence of sexual side effects than that of tamsulosin, the active ingredient in Boehringer Ingelheim's off-patent Flomax, would earn a 40% patient share in this market. Urologists indicate the goal for treating BPH is to relieve urinary symptoms in order to maintain a high level of quality-of-life for patients and are generally not willing to accept trade-offs in efficacy, safety and tolerability or delivery when considering a drug with a lower incidence of sexual side effects than Flomax, said Greg Dwyer, an analyst at Decision Resources.