Shield Therapeutics PLC (AIM:STX, OTCQX:SHIEF) said its Accrufer iron deficiency treatment saw 173% growth in prescriptions in the second quarter, or a 50% improvement on the first.
Total prescriptions for the second quarter increased to over 15,800, it reported, taking the total for the first half of 2023 to roughly 26,300.
This exceeds the total prescription volume for all of 2022 and represents an increase of 210% compared to the first half last year.
Digging down, May grew 28% compared to April, and June grew 30% versus May.
There was a 157% increase in healthcare professionals writing prescriptions for the first time, Shield said, with “positive clinical experiences leading to follow-up prescriptions” and with 73% repeat writers from the first quarter prescribing again in the second.
Chief executive Greg Madison said: “Looking ahead, the growth in Accrufer prescriptions seen in the second quarter provides further reason for optimism in the second half of the year, as the still relatively new teams hit full stride.
“We continue to believe there is a very substantial market opportunity for Accrufer and we are looking to identify ways to maximise the momentum we are building in order to further drive continued Accrufer growth."
The growth puts Shield on track to meet its 2023 goal for US Accrufer prescriptions, it said, helped by refreshed branding and new "Ironic" marketing campaign in May, focused on taking the "irony out of oral iron" getting positive feedback.