Thimerosal use in vaccines

Elevidys is a gene therapy approved to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Last month, Sarapta halted sales of the therapy for non-ambulatory patients.

In this week's episode of Tuning Into The C-Suite podcast, MHE's Briana Contreras chatted with David Calabrese, R.Ph, MHP, who is senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer of pharmacy care services company, OptumRx. David is also a member of Managed Healthcare Executives’ Editorial Advisory Board. During the discussion, he shared the OptumRx Quarter 2 Drug Pipeline Insights Report of 2020. Some of the information shared includes the three notable drugs currently being reviewed or those that have been recently approved by the FDA. Also discussed were any interesting industry trends to watch for.

This new Shingrix vaccine presentation eliminates the need for reconstitution, simplifying the administration process for healthcare professionals.

Following in the footsteps of other pharmaceutical companies, Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer are offering Eliquis for cash-paying patients at a discount of 40% off the list price.

Leqselvi (deuruxolitinib) 8 mg tablets are approved for adults with severe alopecia areata, a disease that causes the immune system to attack hair follicles, leading to partial or complete hair loss on the scalp and body.

Kerendia was originally approved in July 2021 to reduce cardiovascular and kidney complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) associated with type 2 diabetes. This new approval extends its use to a broader patient population.