Specialty Pharmacy

Treatment with antiretrovirals is now recommended for all adults with HIV infection, regardless of their CD4 count.

Specialty Pharmacy Times spoke to Sajid Syed, BSPharm, MS, RPh, of Acro Pharmaceutical Services, about the high cost of specialty drugs, patient needs, and the ACA.

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, recently announced the FDA has granted Fast Track designation for IDX719 for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection.

Aeterna Zentaris Inc recently announced that it has filed a request with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Fast Track designation for its oral ghrelin agonist, AEZS-130, as a diagnostic test for adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD).

The initiative will provide greater insight into how the patient-pharmacist relationship can help improve retention in care, adherence and viral suppression outcomes.

NCI's research uncovers new potential drug targets and pathways that may someday be incorporated into new therapeutic strategies.

New research confirms the amyloid hypothesis as a major pathophysiologic factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

New research raises questions about the efficacy of one of the most commonly prescribed drugs used to treat relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Research on epithilone D, an investigational drug targeting the formation of tau tangles in Alzheimer's disease, was presented at the 2012 Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Today, FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg announced the agency has approved or tentatively approved a total of 152 antiretroviral drugs in association with the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to treat those infected with HIV/AIDS in countries that lack the tools needed to fight the AIDS epidemic.

The United States Food and Drug Administration recently approved Afinitor (everolimus) for use in combination with Aromasin (exemestane) to treat certain postmenopausal women with advanced hormone-receptor positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

The United States Food and Drug Administration today approved Kyprolis (carfilzomib) to treat patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least 2 prior therapies, including treatment with Velcade (bortezomib) and an immunomodulatory therapy.

Two scientific abstracts reported at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012 in Vancouver by scientists with the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging provide encouraging data on their attempts to validate 2 phases of the new diagnostic criteria and guidelines for Alzheimer's disease.

The first report of long-term (3-year) stabilization of Alzheimer's disease symptoms with IVIG, including no decline on measures of cognition, memory, daily functioning and mood, was recently reported at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012 in Vancouver.

The FDA approved Truvada for preexposure prophylaxis, making it the first agent ever to be approved for HIV prevention in uninfected adults.

Axium Healthcare Pharmacy, one of the nation's largest independent specialty pharmacy providers, announced the official release of its highly-anticipated OnePlace patient therapy management web portal.

New legislation recently signed by the president promises to get novel therapies to patients in a more timely manner through the FDA's Accelerated Approval process.

Legislation by representatives Michael McCaul (R, TX) and G.K. Butterfield (D, NC), offering drug companies millions of dollars in incentives to develop treatments for rare pediatric disease, was recently signed by the president.

BioRx has been added to the limited distribution network for Corifact, the only FDA-approved treatment for congenital Factor XIII deficiency.

Following the recent completion of its merger with Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc, SXC Health Solutions Corp unveiled a new name and brand for the company: Catamaran.

A new study finds that patients with autoimmune diseases being treated with immunosuppressive drugs are not at an increased risk of developing shingles.

The FDA recently approved the first DNA test to help health care professionals gauge the progress of antiviral treatment in solid organ transplant patients undergoing cytomegalovirus (CMV) antiviral therapy.

MDxHealth SA announced that it has expanded its collaboration with Merck KGaA in the development and worldwide commercialization of MDxHealth's MGMT (methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase) diagnostic test (PredictMDxTM for glioblastoma).

This article-written by Michael Marlan Mohundro, PharmD; and Brice Labruzzo Mohundro, PharmD-highlights the multiple available regimens for patients with relapsed or refractory myelomas as well as new treatments that are currently being investigated in clinical trials.

Specialty Pharmacy Times spoke to Milayna Subar, MD, vice president and national practice leader in oncology for the Oncology Therapeutic Resource Center (TRC) at Express Scripts, to learn more about how access to clinical practice guidelines in oncology can help shape the complex landscape of cancer treatment.

The FDA today approved OraQuick In-Home HIV Test, the first over-the-counter HIV test that gives users results without having to send samples off to a lab.

Adult patients with refractory chronic gout (RCG) treated bi-weekly with Krystexxa (pegloticase) experienced statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in health-related quality of life (HRQOL), pain, and physical function, according to an analysis in The Journal of Rheumatology.

To get perspective on the ACA ruling's impact on specialty pharmacy, Specialty Pharmacy Times interviewed D'vorah Graeser, PhD, about the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA).