Specialty Pharmacy

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.

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).

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Celator Pharmaceuticals, Inc announced a significant expansion of their partnership to support clinical development of Celator's CPX-351 (cytarabine:daunorubicin) liposome injection for treatment of adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

MHA's BizMed Program was created to offer MHA members a comprehensive portfolio of medical products, services and innovative business solutions to help them achieve operational efficiency while controlling bottom line performance.

Chiasma recently presented data at the annual meeting of The Endocrine Society that show Octreolin (oral octreotide) reduced pituitary growth hormone secretion in healthy volunteers as effectively as shown in published studies of injectable octreotide.

Pharmacies and retail clinics are offering HIV testing in an effort to help reach the CDC's goal of testing every adolescent and adult in the country.

June 27th is National HIV Testing Day, an annual campaign coordinated by the National Association of People with AIDS to encourage people of all ages to "Take the Test, Take Control."

The Midwest Business Group on Health in collaboration with Pharmacy Outcomes Specialists announced the keynote speakers and agenda for the sixth annual Pharmacy Benefits Academy (PBA) to be held July 31-August 1 at the Westin O'Hare.

A recent FDA study determined that current nucleic acid testing (NAT) of the plasma of donated blood is adequate for the detection of the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Community Specialty Pharmacy Network (CSPN) has partnered with CoverMyMeds to automate the prior authorization process.

Sanofi's Genzyme unit announced in a press release earlier last week that the company has submitted an application to regulatory authorities for approval of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS).

BioMed Intelligence, Inc (BMI), a leader in providing technology products and services for the healthcare community, recently announced its award by Kerr Health to integrate Kerr Health's Specialty Pharmacy and Long Term Care (LTC) data into BMI's Data Warehouse Solution.