Denise Myshko

The results of a recent feasibility study on the outpatient administration of cell therapies is creating growing interest in whether home-based management may be possible in the future.

In her review of the specialty drug pipeline, Evernorth's Aimee Tharaldson said upcoming approvals for Crohn’s and colitis drugs could further shift the drug spend from the medical benefit to the pharmacy one.

A pharmacist-led program to switch patients to biosimilars at the Mayo Clinic improved access and lowered costs, the clinic's Chelsee Jensen, Pharm.D., said during a presentation today.

Climate change and global travel have brought a reemergence in the United States of viral diseases spread by mosquitos.

The CDC has learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and is making changes to better identify and respond more effectiively to threats to public health.

Research has found that for patients with recurrent C. diff infections, improving the microbiome is helpful to patients’ physical, mental and social status.

Research of broadly neutralizing antibodies — which are able to neutralize multiple strains of HIV — have the potential to treat, prevent and maybe even cure HIV.

Yuflyma is on Ventegra’s public and private formulary on parity with the reference product Humira.

Inpefa is approved to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in adults. The wholesale acquisition cost is $598 per month.

Insurers and PBMs now have to follow a 2020 rule in which accumulator programs can only be applied to brand name drugs that have generic equivalents available.

Last week, a judge struck down a 2021 federal rule that allowed insurance companies to exclude pharmaceutical company copay assistance from annual deductibles.

Inpefa is an inhibitor of both SGLT2 and SGLT1, approved to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in adults. The wholesale acquisition cost is $598 per month.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals will no longer pursue this indication of Onpattro and will instead on focus on a label expansion for Amvuttra, which is in phase 3 development to treat patients with cardiomyopathy of ATTR amyloidosis.

The FDA approved the first biosimilar of the arthritis medication Actemra, as well as plaque psoriasis drug Zoryve for children. The agency issued a complete response letter for lebrikizumab in atopic dermatitis and for liquid formulation of botulinum toxin for frown lines, and assigned a review date for a gene therapy for a rare immune disorder. Additionally, Takeda plans to withdraw the oncology drug Exkivity from the market while Coherus resubmits BLA for Udenyca OnBody.

Mark Campbell, Pharm.D., RxBenefits’ senior vice president of clinical solutions, talks about how Medicare’s drug price negotiations could have a ripple effect on pharmaceutical company innovation and prices on the commercial side.

Animal studies of a new compound, which can be delivered by eye drop, have found that it can reverse epigenetic changes that lead to wet age-related macular degeneration.

ICER has weighed in on two of the 10 drugs selected for negotiations: Eliquis and Xarelto, which are among Medicare Part D’s highest spending drugs.

ICER has weighed in on two of the 10 drugs selected for negotiations: Eliquis and Xarelto, which are among Medicare Part D’s highest spending drugs.

Even though the Inflation Reduction Act will require plans to justify formulary placement of negotiated drugs, payers have more of an incentive to steer patients to lower-cost alternatives.

Once Medicare’s negotiated price for prescription drugs goes into effect, payers have more of an incentive to steer patients to lower-cost alternatives.

Aetna, Cigna, Humana, United Healthcare — some of the largest providers of Medicare Advantage plans — have released updates to prescription drug programs.

The FDA indicated there were no concerns about the safety or labeling of lebrikizumab, which is being reviewed to treat patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.

The FDA has approved several new therapies this week, including a new two-component Pompe therapy, an extended-release drug for major depression without sexual side effects, and an eye drop for drug-induced dilation. Additionally, the agency has set review dates for several products, including odronextamab for blood cancers, sotatercept for pulmonary arterial hypertension, and Dupixent in young children with eosinophilic esophagitis.

Exxua is approved to treat adults with major depressive disorder, but its labeling does not contain warnings about sexual function or weight gain.

ICER adds a more formal process to evaluate the diversity of clinical trials and an assessment of a product’s impact on patient and caregiver productivity. ICER also plans to evaluate how newer methods — which would consider the change of a drug’s price over time and disease severity — can be applied to its value assessment.

ICER adds a more formal process to evaluate the diversity of clinical trials and an assessment of a product’s impact on patient and caregiver productivity. ICER also plans to evaluate how newer methods — which would consider the change of a drug’s price over time and disease severity — can be applied to its value assessment.

The FDA has approved GSK’s myelofibrosis drug, as well as a new indication for Jardiance and a new dosing regimen for Talicia. The agency has also issued a complete response letter for epinephrine nasal spray and assigned a review date for the gene therapy atidarsagene autotemcel.

Developing novel drugs to treat cancer remains a strong focus for drug developers. Several first-in-class therapies have become available over the last few months.

An analysis from 3 Axis has found that PBMs control how much pharmacies are reimbursed. This can vary significantly depending on the PBM contracts with insurers, creating a system with large inconsistencies in the prices that consumers pay for both generics and branded products.

An analysis by 3 Axis Advisors has found that there is a large variability in pharmacy reimbursement of prescription drugs depending on PBM contracts with insurers. This creates a system with huge inconsistences on the prices of both generics and branded products.