Express Scripts releases 2015 formulary
Pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts Holding Co. (NASDAQ:ESRX) released a list of 66 therapies it will not cover starting Jan.1, 2015. The list includes 25 drugs it previously covered, including anemia drug Epogen epoetin alfa from Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN). In lieu of Epogen, Express Scripts suggests Procrit epoetin alfa from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ).
Express Scripts said a determination for Sovaldi sofosbuvir from Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) will be made when "clinically equivalent" competitors are approved. In April, the PBM said it would ask plan sponsors to join it to encourage Gilead to lower the price of Sovaldi. At the time, Express Scripts said it was not aiming to remove Sovaldi from its formulary or to restrict access, but said there "needs to be a reasonable price point, even for innovative therapies." The wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) for a 12-week course of Sovaldi is $84,000. The formulary does newly exclude HCV NS3/4a protease complex inhibitor Incivek telaprevir from Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDQ:VRTX), recommending protease inhibitors Olysio simeprevir from J&J and Medivir AB (SSE:MVIR B) or Victrelis boceprevir from Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) instead (see BioCentury Extra, April 8). ...