Acacia Pharma Expects to Meet Formulary Goals

Acacia Pharma, a company that develops sedatives and postoperative antiemetics, has provided an update on two products: Barhemsys (intravenous amisulpride) and Byfavo (remimazolam).

As of June 30, Barhemsys is now on formulary at 201 institutions, with a goal of 300 for fiscal year 2021. Company officials said this represents an increase of more than 80 accounts since March 2021. Barhemsys was approved in the United States in February 2020 for the treatment and prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting either alone or in combination with antiemetics of a different class.

Byfavo is now on formulary in 47 accounts, with a goal of 150 for fiscal year 2021. This represents an increase of 40 accounts since March 2021. Byfavo for injection is a very rapid onset/offset benzodiazepine sedative that was approved in the United States in July 2020 for use during invasive medical procedures lasting 30 minutes or less, such as colonoscopy and bronchoscopy. The therapy was launched in the United States in January 2021.

Acacia licensed U.S. rights to Byfavo from Cosmo Pharmaceuticals.

“The rate of formulary adoption we are achieving against the backdrop of restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic is quite impressive, suggesting the significant unmet needs patients and hospitals have in this space,” Deb Hussain, chief commercial officer of Acacia, said in a statement. “We will continue our commercial efforts in additional targeted accounts and are very confident of further formulary wins across the balance of the year.”

Over the last two years, Acacia, a UK-based company, has developed a U.S. team for sales and marketing of these therapies.