Formulary Watch |

Over the next five years, list prices of protected prescription drugs are expected grow between 1% and 4% a year, while net prices are expected to decline by the same amount, IQVIA predicts.

Bristol Myers Squibb is seeking approval of the subcutaneous formulation for all previous indications of Opdivo. The FDA has assigned a goal date of Dec. 29, 2024.

Specialty medications represent a large and growing proportion of overall drug spend, but plans and employers are struggling to understand their costs to make good decisions, finds the latest PSG Specialty Drug report.

The high-concentration biosimilar will be distributed under Quallent’s private label and will be available in June through Evernorth’s Accredo specialty pharmacy.

Zymfentra launched in March 2024 as the first subcutaneous formulation of infliximab for patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. It has a list price of $6,181.08 for two shots over four weeks.

Xolremdi is the first therapy for WHIM syndrome, which can cause recurrent lung infections and papillomavirus-related warts. It’s available in two doses: 400 mg for an annual cost of $496,400 and 300 mg for an annual cost of $372,300.

Beqvez (fidanacogene elaparvovec) is priced at $3.5 million, which is on parity with Hemgenix, the first one-time therapy to treat adults with hemophilia B. Pfizer’s warranty will refund insurers and continue to provide coverage for patients if they change insurers.

Ojemda will have a wholesale acquisition cost of $33,916 for a 28 day supply and will be distributed through specialty pharmacies Biologics by McKesson and Onco360.

New White Paper looks at the solutions and policy options of how to pay for high-cost gene therapies when there is still so much uncertainty about the outcomes and the durability of clinical benefits.

ImmunityBio’s Anktiva is an antibody cytokine fusion protein approved to treat patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Entyvio as an injection and subcutaneous formulations is approved to treat both Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis.

Alvotech’s Selarsdi (ustekinumab-aekn), a biosimilar referencing Stelara (ustekinumab), gained FDA approval, making it the second ustekinumab biosimilar and second for the company to be given the green light for the American market.

The vaccine combines the antigenic components of its two meningococcal vaccines: Bexsero and Menveo. The action date is Feb. 14, 2025.

Jeffrey Casberg, M.S., R.Ph., a senior vice president of clinical pharmacy at IPD Analytics LLC, a drug intelligence firm that advises payers and pharmaceutical companies, talks about how payers are thinking about weight-loss drugs.

The FDA is reviewing two novel therapies: a psychedelic-assisted therapy for PTSD with a target action date of Aug. 11, 2024, and therapy for schizophrenia that does not directly block dopamine receptors with an action date of Sept. 26, 2024.

Ventegra, which provides drug benefit solutions, is also converting to a nonprofit status, which will be completed June 30, 2024.

The FDA is currently reviewing tarlatamab for small-cell lung cancer with a review date in June and datopotamab deruxtecan for non-small cell lung cancer with a review date in the fourth quarter.