CVS reveals changes to 2017 formulary

In a list of updates to its standard formulary for 2017, CVS Health Corp. (NYSE:CVS) said it will remove 35 drugs, including three oral cancer therapies, and will replace some biologics with biosimilars and follow-on biologics. The company also is launching indication-based formularies for HCV and autoimmune diseases.

Next year, CVS will no longer cover prostate cancer drug Xtandi enzalutamide from Astellas Pharma Inc. (Tokyo:4503) and Medivation Inc. (NASDAQ:MDVN), and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) therapies Gleevec imatinib and Tasigna nilotinib from Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS; SIX:NOVN). ...