Immunology remains a highly competitive space, with one company standing out above the rest. That is the takeaway from ZoomRx’s analysis of the perceptions of healthcare professionals (HCPs), who overwhelmingly see this leading immunology player as the top contender in a field targeted by rivals such as Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
ZoomRx asked HCPs to rank immunology drug developers in terms of attributes such as innovation and patient centricity. Most HCPs ranked this top company among the leading three in each category, earning it a perfect score of 100 on ZoomRx’s perception scale. Pfizer was a distant second with a score of 70, followed by J&J with a score of 52.
This company has been a dominant force in immunology throughout the era of its flagship therapy. While novel and biosimilar rivals are beginning to chip away at its market share, reducing sales to $14.4 billion last year, it has managed to stay at the top of the HCP rankings.
ZoomRx analysts highlighted the company's “hefty investments in mRNA therapies, companion diagnostics, and strategic acquisitions like Landos Biopharma” as key factors in maintaining its leadership. The trends suggest it “is well-positioned for the future,” ZoomRx said. Marketing may have played a role as well, with the company consistently investing heavily in promoting its immunology blockbusters.
Pfizer is a long way from taking the top spot, but ZoomRx noted it “packs a punch,” pointing to its pipeline and acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals as strengths. J&J took third place but “faces an uphill battle,” according to ZoomRx. The survey revealed a significant drop in J&J’s perception and loyalty scores at a time when its top immunology drug, Stelara, faces competition from biosimilars and UCB’s Bimzelx.
“J&J needs to strategize to regain lost ground,” ZoomRx said. The drugmaker has a cushion over Takeda and Sanofi, which, respectively, ranked fourth and fifth with scores of 34 and 14, but has reasons to be glancing over its shoulder.
Takeda is mounting a charge, ZoomRx said, as shown by positive perception scores in the latest data. The drugmaker has won approval for Eohilia and spent $4 billion on Nimbus Therapeutics’ TYK2 inhibitor, leading ZoomRx to call it a “strong contender in the competitive landscape.” Sanofi lagged behind on some metrics but ranked relatively highly in innovation.
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