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Alan Franciscus

Editor-in-Chief

HCV Advocate



Wednesday, March 4, 2015

New Cigna, Catamaran Hep C Pacts Put Gilead Drugs to the Test

"Since the December 2014 approval of AbbVie Inc.’s hepatitis C treatment Viekira Pak (ombitasvir, paritaprevir and ritonavir tablets; dasabuvir tablets), at least 10 companies have disclosed exclusive or semi-exclusive deals with Gilead Sciences, Inc. that feature the manufacturer’s hepatitis C agents, Harvoni (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) and Sovaldi (sofosbuvir). But Catamaran Corp. and Cigna Corp. this month unveiled the first outcomes-based arrangements with Gilead that industry observers say could open the door for more value-based deals around hepatitis C and other specialty agents".
"Catamaran on Feb. 3 said it would offer a new hepatitis C patient management program through its specialty pharmacy, BriovaRx, that features Gilead’s Harvoni and Sovaldi as exclusive hepatitis C treatment options (DBN 2/6/15, p. 1). Similarly, Cigna Corp., a long-term Catamaran customer, on Feb. 4 said it would offer Harvoni as the only preferred brand drug treatment for customers with hepatitis C genotype 1 infection as well as develop an outcomes-based incentive program".
"While both companies declined to provide specifics on how the deals are structured, other outcomes-based pharmaceutical arrangements between manufacturers and insurers or PBMs have tied rebate payments to agreed-upon outcomes achieved by the payers’ members. Cigna, for instance, in 2010 embarked on an outcomes-based partnership with Merck & Co. in which the drugmaker provided rebates to Cigna when its members with type 2 diabetes met goals for adherence to prescribed medications and low blood sugar levels (DBN 12/17/10, p. 1). And Prime Therapeutics LLC in 2012 signed an outcomes-based contract with EMD Serono, Inc. for its multiple sclerosis drug Rebif (interferon beta-1a) through which the drugmaker promised to pay rebates to the PBM if its members taking Rebif had a higher total cost of care than people on other MS medications. Adherence levels were also considered. Cigna inked a similar deal with EMD Serono in 2011".

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