Replies to post #190718 on Biotech Values

[north40000]

What might be the result if a given patient wants a treatment with a certain therapy that is not on ESRX formulary?

[dangerM]

yes, people are getting refused

1.) harvoni/sovaldi

if the info from the Gilead earnings call is correct, then there are _two_ factors

a) "at the doctor" ~ constraints are not physicians but back office and bureaucracy (I think the limit they mentioned was 250.000 patients)

b) "by the payer" ~ warehousing by _some_ payers (~ it was sth like some are very open on fibrosis restrictions, some only treat sicker patients/do warehousing

they also noted slide 22 again in the Q&A session (prescriptions written (not filled!)). there it says:

Genotype Fibrosis Score
F3-F4, 44%
F0-F2, 56%

they hinted that some of the lower fibrosis score patients do not get there prescriptions filled so might be a pool for the future

2.) vpak

good question. I only read about having problems to sell vpak even with free vouchers:

BS! The voucher program is working!! I left 20 vouchers at my top Hepatologist's office with the receptionist! She said she would place them in the waiting room by the People mags!! V Power!!!

http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?t=577446

no idea what this means. if anyone has more info on this?

[dangerM]

Formulary decisions driving ViekiraPak higher claims rejections during its short time on the market. (/unquote)

http://symphonyhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Hep-C-Payer-Dynamics-Article.pdf

I think the rejection rates over time are highly interesting. If Vpak comes down from about 80% rejection rate to a 40-50% rejection rate as other treatments, this should have an effect even without better marketing/broader acceptance.


(I hope this link has not already been posted, I haven't seen this info yet - it is from 11.03.2015)