Radar on Specialty Pharmacy

On April 25, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.’s Walgreens revealed that it will launch Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy on Aug. 1. The company is touting the new division, which will include AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy and four central specialty pharmacies, as being able to swiftly serve patients without being invested in a PBM. And that could mean enhanced opportunities for contracting with payers and manufacturers, according to one expert.

The new unit will also feature nearly 300 community-based specialty pharmacies across the U.S. and a new 18,000-foot Gene and Cell Services Pharmacy and Innovation Center in Pittsburgh. The unit will have more than 1,500 specialty-trained pharmacists, 5,000 patient advocacy support staffers and 10 Specialty360 teams. It also has access to 240 limited distribution drugs, including 40 narrow networks and 12 exclusive limited distribution agents.

After first gaining approval more than a decade ago, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc.’s Iclusig (ponatinib) recently gained approval for the frontline treatment of an aggressive blood cancer. One clinical trial found that people on the agent experienced complete remission more than twice as often as those on a comparator therapy. Industry sources point to the drug’s clinical efficacy as a significant development in the treatment of the disease.

On March 19, the FDA gave accelerated approval to Iclusig in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of adults with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL). The newest application had priority review and orphan drug designation, and its review used the Real-Time Oncology Review and the Assessment Aid.

Amgen Inc. will discontinue the Repatha (evolocumab) Pushtronex system, an on-body infusor, on June 30, the company said April 12. Certain patients, however, may need to remain on that system, and the manufacturer says it will maintain inventory of it to meet their needs.

In addition to the 420 mg/3.5 mL single-dose Pushtronex, Repatha is available as a 140 mg/mL single-dose SureClick autoinjector and a 140 mg/mL single-dose prefilled syringe. The company is urging users to transition to the SureClick because it plans to discontinue the prefilled syringe in mid-2025.

March 29: The FDA approved Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease’s, Voydeya (danicopan) as an add-on therapy to ravulizumab (currently available as the company’s Ultomiris) or eculizumab (currently available as the company’s Soliris) for the treatment of extravascular hemolysis in adults with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. The agent is a first-in-class factor D inhibitor, and it has breakthrough therapy designation. Initial dosing for the tablet is 150 mg three times a day, which can be increased to 200 mg three times a day. Drugs.com lists the price of 180 50 mg-100 mg tablets as more than $4,359.

April 5: The FDA expanded the patient population of AstraZeneca’s Fasenra (benralizumab) to include the add-on maintenance treatment of people aged 6 to 11 with severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype. The agency first approved the interleukin-5 receptor alpha-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody on Nov. 14, 2017. Dosing for the newest indication for pediatric patients weighing less than 35 kg is 10 mg via subcutaneous injection every four weeks for the first three doses and then once every eight weeks; for those at least 35 kg, dosing is 30 mg every four weeks, followed by once every eight weeks. The list price for one 30 mg/mL solution is $5,511.41.

Fresenius Kabi AG launched Tyenne (tocilizumab-aazg), the first biosimilar of Roche Group member Genentech USA, Inc.’s Actemra (tocilizumab) to become available in the U.S., the company revealed April 15. The FDA approved the interleukin-6 inhibitor on March 5 in both intravenous and subcutaneous formulations, making it the only Actemra biosimilar approved so far in both. On Sept. 29, 2023, the FDA approved Bio-Thera and Biogen Inc.’s Tofidence (tocilizumab-bavi) as an intravenous formulation only. Fresenius says Tyenne is available now in an intravenous formulation. The agents are approved for several autoimmune conditions.

Sandoz reached an agreement with Amgen Inc. resolving all patent litigation related to denosumab, Sandoz revealed April 30. The FDA approved Sandoz’s Jubbonti (denosumab-bbdz) and Wyost (denosumab-bbdz) on March 5 as biosimilar to and interchangeable with Amgen’s Prolia (denosumab) and Xgeva (denosumab) for all of their indications. They are the first FDA-approved denosumab biosimilars. The agreement will allow the agents to launch on May 31, 2025, or earlier “under certain circumstances if customary acceleration provisions are triggered.”