Prime Therapeutic Removes Several Products from its Medicare Formulary

Prime Therapeutics has made several changes to it Medicare Part D formulary, removing three products that now have generics available. Two products — Bystolic and Chantix — were removed effective Sept. 30, 2021.

Bystolic (nebivolol) is a beta blocker used to treat high blood pressure manufactured by Allergan, now a part of AbbVie, which acquired Allergan in May 2020. In September, Camber Pharmaceuticals launched a generic version of therapeutic. The generic version is available in several strengths, including 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20, mg.

A generic of Pfizer’s smoking cessation product Chantix (varenicline) was approved Aug. 11, 2021. Developed by Par Pharmaceutical, which is part of Endo International, the generic varenicline tablet was approved August 11, 2021. The generic will come in doses of 0.5 mg and 1 mg.

Related: FDA Approves Generic of Chantix, Pfizer's Smoking Cessation Drug

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The plans effected by these changes include Ideal Formularies, Value+ & client specific formularies, such as Alignment, Asuris, Capital Blue Cross, Health Care Service Corp, and Horizon.

Additionally, Prime Therapeutics has removed Durezol (difluprednate) from the Horizon Medicare Part D formulary effective Oct. 6, 2021. Durezol is manufactured by Novartis to treat and is used to treat inflammation and pain associated with ocular surgery. The FDA approved Cipla’s generic version of Durezol in August 2021.