Formulary Watch |

Subpotency Leads to Recall of 27 Lots of Tirosint-SOL

IBSA Pharma is recalling the hypothyroid medication because analyses showed lowered levels of levothyroxine in some lots.

Daiichi Sankyo Makes Available New Dosing Regimen for Turalio

Dosing has been lowered to reduce the risk of liver damage in patients taking Turalio, which is approved to treat patients with a rare tumor that affects the joints.

Hospital Drug Spending to Increase through July 2024

First Humira Biosimilar is Now Available

Mark Cuban’s Pharmacy Teams up With Cancer Health App

The collaboration between Cost Plus Drugs and OncoPower provides access to generic medications for patients with cancer integrated with OncoPower’s Pill Reminder tool.

Senators Reintroduce PBM Legislation

FDA Approves Orserdu to Treat Metastatic Breast Cancer

Elacestrant, now with the brand name Orserdu, is an oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD), which works by blocking the effects of estrogen on hormone receptor-positive breast cancer cells.

FDA Approves Lilly’s BTK Inhibitor for Rare Blood Cancer

Jaypirca is the first BTK inhibitor specifically approved for patients with mantle cell lymphoma previously treated with a covalent BTK inhibitor. It has a wholesale acquisition cost of $21,000 per 30 days of therapy.

FDA Approves Keytruda for Lung Cancer After Surgery

This approval marks the fifth indication for Keytruda-based regimens in non-small cell lung cancer and the 34th indication in the United States.

IQVIA: Accumulator and Maximizer Programs are Growing

FDA Removes Evusheld’s EUA for COVID-19

AstraZeneca is developing a next-generation long-acting antibody for pre-exposure prophylaxis of COVID-19, which it plans to make available in the second half of 2023.

Flipt, Evio Partner on Pharmacy Benefit Solution for Employers

Analysis: Payers Restrict Medications for Autoimmune Diseases

Three out of four health plans scored a “C” or an “F” because of utilization management restrictions they place on medication for autoimmune conditions.

Payers and Specialty Drugs

In this video, Dea Belazi, president and chief executive officer of AscellaHealth, discusses how payers will approach specialty drugs.

Study: Heart Failure Patients Could Save with Inflation Reduction Act

AAM Report: PBMs, Health Plans Delay Adoption of Generics

Amazon Launches Subscription-Based Med Service

FDA to Hold Advisory Committee Meeting for ALS Drug

The Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for March 22, 2023, to review Biogen’s tofersen.

Optum Rx Launches Price Comparison Tool

FDA Approves New Drug for Type 2 Diabetes

Once-daily, oral SGLT2 inhibitor Brenzavvy has been shown to reduce blood sugar and improve glycemic control.

Specialty Pharmacy Trends to Watch in 2023

FDA Accepts Jardiance sNDA for CKD Indication

A phase 3 trial showed that Jardiance reduced the risk of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in adults with chronic kidney disease by 28% compared with placebo. An FDA decision is expected in the second half of 2023.

Moderna Banks on COVID-19, RSV Vaccines

FDA Issues Complete Response for Lilly Alzheimer’s Drug

Lilly expects topline results from the confirmatory phase 3 trial in the second quarter of 2023 and plans to submit for full approval.

FDA Approves Brukinsa for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

This is the fourth indication for the Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

FDA Approves Tukysa for HER2 Positive Colorectal Cancer

Tukysa with trastuzumab is indicated for second-line treatment of HER2-positive metastatic colorectal cancer, the first such therapy for this cancer.

FDA Accepts Application for NASH Drug

There are currently no medications approved for the treatment of NASH, which can lead to cirrhosis, eventual liver failure, cancer and death. The FDA has assigned a PDUFA target action of June 22, 2023, for the therapy, obeticholic acid.

Global Savings from Biosimilars Could Reach $383 by 2027

Why Patients Want a Patient-First Pharmacy Benefit

Study: Medicare Patients to Benefit from $35 Insulin Cap