Expert Interviews

Panelists discuss how the 18-month retrospective claims analysis of ruxolitinib revealed sustained efficacy in atopic dermatitis management, with significant reductions in disease flares, healthcare utilization, and concomitant medication use compared to conventional therapies, while maintaining a consistent safety profile across diverse patient populations and disease severities.

Doug Long, BA, MBA, vice president of Industry Relations at IQVIA, shares what's happening in the growing GLP-1 and biosimilars space. Long was a presenter at the annual AMCP 2025 meeting in Houston, where he discussed these topics and more earlier this week.

Panelists discuss how the five-year prognosis for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has improved with PD-1 inhibitors, showing promising overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Cemiplimab’s outcomes align well with other PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, influencing clinical decisions for its use as a first-line treatment.

Panelists discuss how, at their practices, histology, staging and ECOG performance status guide treatment decisions for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Compared with EMPOWER-Lung 1, these factors remain crucial. Key biomarkers, such as PD-L1 expression, influence PD-1 inhibitor efficacy. In 2025, treatment options are more personalized with emerging therapies.

A panelist discusses how C-peptide serves as a critical biomarker of endogenous insulin production, providing clinicians with valuable insights into remaining beta cell function that can guide personalized treatment approaches and help predict disease progression in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Maria Lowe, Ph.D., associate vice president of Pharmaceutical Intelligence at Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) addresses the possible gene therapies that we could see reach the market this year.

Maria Lowe, Pharm.D., BCPS, associate vice president of pharmaceutical intelligence at the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, described specialty drugs as high-cost treatments requiring complex handling or disease management and highlighted key upcoming approvals, including a new PCSK9 inhibitor for lipid lowering and tolebrutinib, a Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, which could become the first in its class approved for multiple sclerosis.

Julie Patterson, Pharm.D., Ph.D., of the National Pharmaceutical Council, tells Managed Healthcare Executive at the annual AMCP meeting in Houston that the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is a policy that seems to be leading to more consequences than it is benefits.

At the AMCP 2025 meeting, Julie Patterson, Pharm.D., Ph.D., of the National Pharmaceutical Council, explained that the impact of the IRA drug negotiation program on patient access is still unclear, but early research shows that coverage for selected drugs has been strong. However, as Medicare Part D undergoes changes, there are concerns about how plan incentives, formulary design and utilization management might affect future access.

Eric Cannon, PharmD, FAMCP, discusses how LPA1 receptor activation promotes fibrosis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) through myofibroblast differentiation and ECM production. Admilparant shows promising antifibrotic activity in preclinical models but requires phase 3 efficacy data. As a novel targeted therapy, it may complement existing antifibrotics, particularly for progressive phenotypes with high LPA1 expression.

At the AMCP 2025 annual meeting, Sean Shirk, Pharm.D., stressed the need for payers to stay informed and engaged with legislation to sustain site-of-service efforts despite growing restrictions.

Co-presenter, Sean Shirk, Pharm.D., director of specialty clinical solutions at Prime Therapeutics, discussed this topic during a presentation on legislative impacts on site of service at the AMCP 2025 annual meeting in Houston on Tuesday.

Connie Estep, Pharm.D., BCGP, director of specialty clinical solutions at Prime Therapeutics, presented on legislative impacts on site of service at this year's AMCP meeting in Houston.

An expert discusses the advancements in systemic and targeted therapies that have had the most significant impact on atopic dermatitis (AD) treatment in recent years as well as the cost-effectiveness and real-world outcomes of biologics and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors compared with traditional systemic therapies for AD

An expert discusses the most common barriers clinicians face when prescribing topical therapies for atopic dermatitis (AD) and their impact on patient adherence as well as strategies dermatologists can employ to navigate insurance coverage, prior authorization and step therapy to ensure patients receive appropriate care.

Finerenone, a nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, has been studied extensively in patients with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction.

Marc Humbert, M.D., Ph.D., professor of respiratory medicine at Université Paris-Saclay and Inserm, believes that recent clinical trials have reinforced the potential of Winrevair (sotatercept) as a breakthrough in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatment.

Panelists discuss how ruxolitinib cream demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in treating atopic dermatitis over a 12-month period, with claims analysis revealing improved disease control, reduced rescue medication use, fewer dermatology visits, and a favorable safety profile compared to standard treatments, supporting its role as a valuable non-steroidal topical option for long-term management.

Factor XI Inhibitors are the alternative to DOACs, which are highly effective at preventing strokes. However, their bleeding risks often limit their use, especially in high-risk patients.

In an interview with Managed Healthcare Executive, Christian T. Ruff, M.D., M.P.H., director of general cardiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, addressed the uncertainty of the bleeding risks of abelacimab compared to rivaroxaban and highlighted abelacimab’s safety profile.

In this second part of his interview with Managed Healthcare Executive, John B. Buse, M.D., Ph.D., a professor at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine and director of the UNC's Diabetes Care Center, discusses lifestyle management and GLP-1s.

John B. Buse, M.D., Ph.D., a professor at the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine and director of the UNC's Diabetes Care Center, pointed to research that has shown a price of $150 per month would make the GLP-1s cost-effective as a prevention measure.

Experts at City of Hope, a cancer research and treatment center, believe that AI tools will continue to improve precision medicine, streamline patient care and increase access to clinical trials.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of HIV Prevention are a critical source of funding and outreach for states, according to Terri L. Wilder, MSW, HIV/Aging Policy Advocate at SAGE, an organization that serves LGBTQ+ elders.

A panelist discusses how type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by progressive beta cell destruction that advances through distinct stages, with genetic predisposition, environmental triggers and the presence of specific autoantibodies serving as key risk factors and diagnostic markers.

Panelists discuss how biomarkers like PD-L1 guide first-line therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with higher expression favoring PD-1 inhibitors. Other factors like performance status and comorbidities also support their use. Post progression, PD-1 inhibitors are often used alone or in combination for subsequent lines of treatment.

Panelists discuss how over the last five years, immunotherapy, particularly PD-1 inhibitors, has revolutionized advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment, offering promising first-line therapy options. Prior to the EMPOWER-Lung 1 study, PD-1 inhibitors showed improved survival outcomes as monotherapy. Treatment considerations have since evolved to incorporate patient-specific factors, optimizing therapy based on individual characteristics.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of HIV Prevention tracks outbreaks, provides education and establishes guidelines for the United States and the world, according to Terri L. Wilder, MSW, HIV/Aging Policy Advocate at SAGE, an organization that serves LGBTQ+ elders.