by Jane Anderson
Although three new drugs
for Parkinson's disease have been approved over the last year, plans generally
are sticking with the drugs they've included on formularies for several years,
most of which are generic, experts say.
That may change in the
long term as new gene therapies that currently are in development are approved
and come online. But none of those potential new treatments are close to market
right now, says Mesfin Tegenu, R.Ph., president of PerformRx.
"Many commonly used
therapies for Parkinson's disease — carbidopa-levodopa, MAO-Bs, dopamine
agonists — have available generics, which on most plans would be considered
formulary options, or one generic product within each class would be selected
as formulary," Tegenu tells AIS Health.
The FDA in August
approved Kyowa Kirin, Inc.'s Nourianz (istradefylline) tablets as an add-on
treatment to levodopa/carbidopa in adult patients with Parkinson's disease
experiencing motor fluctuations. In February, the FDA approved Osmotica
Pharmaceutical US LLC’s Osmolex ER (amantadine) for the treatment of
Parkinson's disease. And in late December, the FDA approved Accorda
Therapeutics' Inbrija (levodopa inhalation powder) for intermittent treatment
of off episodes in people with Parkinson's disease taking carbidopa/levodopa.
Still, plans are stocking
their formularies with less expensive generic medications. Parkinson's disease
treatment generally progresses through drugs that have a moderate effect but
fewer side effects to drugs that are more effective, but have more significant
side effects, Tegenu says.
"Choice of which
pharmacotherapy to use initially is individualized based on the characteristics
of the patient, the disease and the drugs," he says. "There is no
single preferred therapy, and trade-offs are common."
Plans aren't expected to
cover Inbrija, Tegenu says. "Members would be able to request an exception
through the prior authorization process for these products," he adds. For
Osmolex ER, plans generally require failure on trials of immediate-release
amantadine.
From RADAR on Drug Benefits
No comments:
Post a Comment