Analysts Question Issues Surrounding Beovu’s Uptake in Full Anti-VEGF Market

By Angela Maas

Last month, the FDA approved Beovu (brolucizumab-dbll) from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The intravitreal injection will compete in a fairly crowded anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) market that is led by Eylea (aflibercept) from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Novartis priced Beovu at $1,850 per vial — the same per-dose price as Eylea. Following three initial monthly doses, Beovu can be administered every eight to 12 weeks. Eylea also has three initial monthly doses and then may be administered every four, eight or 12 weeks.

For the Managed Care Biologics and Injectables Index: Q4 2018, Zitter surveyed pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee members who work for 51 commercial payers with 139.8 million covered lives between Nov. 30, 2018, and Jan. 7, 2019. When asked about how they would manage Beovu and Eylea, 49% said they were more likely than unlikely or significantly likely to manage the two drugs at parity.

Thirty-five percent said they were more likely than unlikely or significantly likely to start discussions with Regeneron to prefer Eylea over Beovu. Sixteen percent said it was likely or significantly likely that they would prefer Beovu over other anti-VEGF agents besides Eylea.

However, while anticipation for Beovu continued to be high after the HAWK and HARRIER clinical trial results were released, analysts questioned the drug’s label and what it does — and doesn't — contain.

According to BioPharma Dive, "unlike Eylea, Beovu doesn't have a four-week dosing regimen, which Piper Jaffray analyst Christopher Raymond claims could limit uptake among patients who need more frequent injections. The drug's label included data that showed worse rates of inflammation and immunogenicity than Eylea, while also excluding secondary endpoint results that showed Beovu outperforming Eylea on several measures of eye health."

The price also could dampen pickup. Another potential impact on the anti-VEGF class is expected biosimilar competition over the next few years.

From RADAR on Specialty Pharmacy