Avella Among Specialty Pharmacies Ready to Distribute New Medication for Psoriatic Arthritis

Just days after the Food and Drug Administration approved Otezla, a new oral therapy to treat active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adult patients, Avella has announced that it is prepared to begin distributing the drug. At this time, Avella is one of a select number of pharmacies that are contracted by Celgene, the drug manufacturer, to dispense the product at launch.

Otezla is the first oral therapy approved to treat active psoriatic arthritis, a painful and sometimes debilitating condition that impacts a sizable percentage of individuals who suffer from psoriasis. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis is the most prevalent chronic inflammatory disease in the U.S.

Otezla provides convenient oral dosing for PsA patients who up until now did not have an FDA-approved oral treatment option for PsA. In trials conducted prior to FDA approval, Otezla demonstrated clinically significant improvements across multiple manifestations of psoriatic arthritis including joint pain and swelling, as well as dactylitis (swelling of fingers) and enthesitis (swelling of the tendons) in patients with these pre-existing symptoms.

“Avella is proud to be at the forefront of innovation by providing access to this new medication for psoriatic arthritis,” said Leslie Yendro, Vice President of Business Development of Avella,“ We believe that our emphasis on engaging and educating patients, combined with the efficacy and convenience of this new oral therapy, will benefit individuals with this psoriatic arthritis.”

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About Avella Specialty Pharmacy

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Avella Specialty Pharmacy is a National Accredited Specialty Pharmacy, providing individualized care and support to patients since 1996. Avella's clinical pharmacists and staff members are experts in managing complex disease states and providing compassionate care. The company offers a nationwide distribution service to complement its retail locations. Avella reached 1,105th on Inc. magazine's 2013 list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the country. In addition, the Arizona Corporate Excellence Awards has named Avella Specialty Pharmacy as the fastest-growing private company based in the state. For more information, please visit www.avella.com.

SOURCE: Avella Specialty Pharmacy Inc