Medco Health Solutions, Inc.

DALY CITY, Calif., Aug. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PinkDx, Inc., an early-stage diagnostics company focused on positively impacting the health of women throughout their life journey, today announced that Robert S. Epstein, M.D., M.S., a life sciences industry veteran, has joined its board of directors. His appointment follows the company's recent launch with $40 million in Series A funding to address unmet medical needs that uniquely impact women, beginning with gynecological cancer. Continue Reading Robert S. Epstein, M.D., M.S. Dr. Epstein is a strategic consultant to life sciences companies and an epidemiologist with extensive expertise in pharmacoeconomics and health outcomes research. From 2010 to 2012, Dr. Epstein served as president of the Medco-UBC division and as chief research and development officer of Medco Health Solutions, Inc., a managed healthcare company. Prior to that, Dr. Epstein served as Medco's chief medical officer from 1997 to 2010. He is a member of the board of directors of Fate Therapeutics, Inc., Illumina, Inc. and Veracyte, Inc., where he is the chairman. Dr. Epstein is the former president of the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research and served on the board of directors of the Drug Information Association and the International Society of Quality of Life. He has also served on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice & Prevention Stakeholder Committee and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics Committee. Dr. Epstein holds a B.S. in Biomedical Science and an M.D. from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Preventive Medicine from the University of Maryland. "We are delighted to have a life sciences industry veteran of Dr. Epstein's caliber join the PinkDx board," said Bonnie Anderson, PinkDx's cofounder, chairwoman and chief executive officer. "His extensive expertise in genomics, clinical research and health economics will be especially important as we develop and seek reimbursement for our first test." Leveraging its RNA-based, multi-omic discovery platform, PinkDx will initially focus on improving diagnostic outcomes for women who have vague symptoms that may signal a gynecological cancer. Each year in the United States, an estimated 1.5 million women1-3 present with general symptoms including bloating, pelvic pain and abnormal bleeding, for which the cause is not clear. Over 100,000 women in the U.S. are ultimately diagnosed with a gynecological cancer each year.4 PinkDx will develop solutions to replace invasive and painful diagnostic procedures and mitigate the significant delays women and their doctors often face in obtaining answers. About PinkDx PinkDx is an early-stage company focused on addressing the medical problems that women uniquely face by applying sophisticated scientific approaches to resolve them and providing answers that have an immediate, positive impact on their lives. The company's first indication will focus on overcoming diagnostic challenges for women who present with general symptoms that could signal a gynecological cancer. PinkDx is privately held, with Series A funding from prominent biotechnology investors, including Catalio Capital Management, The Production Board, Mountain Group Partners, Byers Capital and Mayo Clinic. The company's operations are in Daly City, California. For more information, please visit or follow the company on LinkedIn or X/Twitter (@pinkdxinc). 1 Chelmow, D. et al. Executive Summary of the Uterine Cancer Evidence Review Conference. Obstetrics and Gynecology vol. 139 626–643 Preprint at (2022). 2 Clarke, M. A. et al. Association of endometrial cancer risk with postmenopausal bleeding in women a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med 178, 1201–1208 (2018). 3 Siegel, R. L., Miller, K. D. & Jemal, A. Cancer statistics, 2020. CA Cancer J Clin 70, 7–30 (2020). 4 American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts & Figures 2024. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2024. Media Contact: Tracy Morris [email protected] 650-380-4413 SOURCE PinkDx

PRINCETON, NJ, June 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Medunik USA, member of Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group (DPG) one of the few anchor companies selected by the Government of Canada for its Global Hypergrowth Project, is pleased to announce the expansion of its UNIK Support Program specialty pharmacy network to now include both Accredo Health Group and CVS Specialty. UNIK Support offers specialized services to benefit patients including a copay savings program, patient care liaison services, mail order pharmacy and other support services. In addition, Arkansas has recently added Pheburane® to its Medicaid Preferred Drug List. As a result, 48 State Medicaid programs now cover Pheburane®, including 12 State Medicaid programs that have included Pheburane® as a preferred covered agent for the treatment of certain UCD patients. Additionally, ~80% of commercially insured Americans have access to Pheburane® coverage, of which more than 75% is preferred coverage. Continue Reading Medunik USA’s UNIK Support Program for Pheburane® expands to now include 2 specialty pharmacy options (CNW Group/Medunik USA) Pheburane® is an innovative adjunctive therapy consisting of very small coated oral pellets (about the size of sugar crystals) for the chronic management of adult and pediatric patients with UCDs involving deficiencies of carbamylphosphate synthetase (CPS), ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) or argininosuccinate synthetase (AS). Pheburane® is not indicated for the treatment of acute hyperammonemia. The most common side effects associated with sodium phenylbutyrate are menstrual dysfunction, decreased appetite, body odor and bad taste or taste aversion.1 Available in Europe since 2013 and in Canada since 2015, Pheburane® has a proven history in the treatment of UCDs at an international level. Medunik USA launched Pheburane® in the USA in September 2022 and since then has significantly widened access to this important treatment option through strategic alliances and cost-effective pricing policies. The widespread preferred coverage for Pheburane® reflects its value proposition and potential to reduce costs within the healthcare ecosystem by 50-70% relative to other taste-masked/nearly tasteless UCD medications*. "The expanded Pheburane® coverage and affordable pricing underscore our commitment to providing Americans with rare diseases access to effective, fairly priced medicines, thus contributing to improving the lives of those whose needs are too often neglected," said Claude-André Boivin, Director, Strategic Pricing and Business Insights, Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group. UCDs are rare, chronic, genetic conditions that can be fatal if left untreated, and can impact children from the time of birth. UCDs disrupt the body's urea cycle, and therefore, the body is unable to remove the dangerous buildup of toxic chemicals, particularly ammonia, that are created from the digestion of protein. One in 35,000 people in the United States or about 28 per one million residents suffer from UCDs of different levels of severity.2 Medunik USA makes Pheburane® available through its UNIK Support Program designed to support each unique patient. Visit Pheburane.com for more information. About urea cycle disorders (UCDs) The main purpose of the Urea Cycle is to eliminate toxic ammonia from the blood and make urea, which is then excreted as urine. UCDs are rare genetic disorders that cause errors in this process, allowing high levels of ammonia, the key marker for UCDs, to build up in the bloodstream, potentially to dangerous and fatal levels. Ammonia is extremely toxic, particularly to the central nervous system. UCDs can cause catastrophic illness in newborns within 36 to 48 hours of birth despite the infants appearing normal, so they can be discharged from hospital before signs of UCDs develop. UCDs require lifelong monitoring and treatment.2 About Pheburane® Pheburane® is a taste-masked oral formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate, approved by the Food and Drug Administration as adjunctive therapy to standard of care, which includes dietary management, for the chronic management of adult and pediatric patients with UCDs, involving deficiencies of carbamylphosphate synthetase (CPS), ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) or argininosuccinic acid synthetase (AS). Pheburane® is not indicated for the treatment of acute hyperammonemia.1 Pheburane®, developed by Lucane Pharma, is under exclusive distribution in the U.S. through Medunik USA. For further information, visit Pheburane.com. INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is Pheburane®? Pheburane® is a prescription medicine, used along with a specific diet, for the long-term management of adults and children with urea cycle disorders (UCDs), involving deficiencies of carbamylphosphate synthetase (CPS), ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) or argininosuccinate synthetase (AS). Episodes of sudden, rapid increase of ammonia in the blood (acute hyperammonemia) may happen in people during treatment with Pheburane®. Pheburane® is not used for the treatment of acute hyperammonemia, which can be life-threatening and requires emergency medical treatment. Before taking Pheburane®, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you: have heart problems. have kidney or liver problems. have diabetes ( Pheburane® contains sucrose), or have a history of fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption, or sucrose-isomaltase insufficiency. are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Pheburane® will harm your unborn baby. are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Pheburane® passes into your breastmilk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby during treatment with Pheburane®. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you or your child take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Certain medicines may increase the level of ammonia in your blood or cause serious side effects when taken during treatment with Pheburane®. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you or your child take: corticosteroids valproic acid haloperidol probenecid Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your or your child's healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. What are the possible side effects of Pheburane®? Pheburane® can cause serious side effects, including: Nervous system problems (neurotoxicity). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms during treatment with Pheburane®: sleepiness tiredness lightheadedness vomiting nausea headache confusion Low potassium levels in your blood (hypokalemia). Your healthcare provider will monitor your blood potassium levels during treatment with PHEBURANE and treat if needed. Conditions related to swelling (edema). Pheburane® contains salt (sodium), which can cause swelling from salt and water retention. Your healthcare provider will decide if PHEBURANE is right for you if you have certain medical conditions that can cause swelling, such as heart failure, liver problems or kidney problems. The most common side effects of Pheburane® include: absent or irregular menstrual periods decreased appetite body odor bad taste or avoiding foods that you ate prior to getting sick (taste aversion) Your healthcare provider may do certain blood tests to check you or your child for side effects during treatment with Pheburane®. These are not all the possible side effects of Pheburane®. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit , or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please read the Full Prescribing Information and Patient Information at Pheburane.com. About Medunik USA Based in Princeton, New Jersey, Medunik USA is part of the Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group and works to improve the health and quality of life of Americans living with rare diseases by making orphan drug therapies available in the United States. Through its strategic partnerships, Medunik USA develops and provides Americans suffering from rare disease with access to orphan drugs that are not currently available in the U.S. Medunik USA makes critical medications to treat rare diseases available to American patients who might not otherwise have access to these medications. For more information, visit . About Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group (DPG), with its affiliated companies, is headquartered in Blainville, Quebec. The Group consists of six pharmaceutical companies to meet the needs of patients in Canada, the U.S. and abroad. The companies are Duchesnay (Canada) and Duchesnay USA, both dedicated to women's health; Medunik Canada and Medunik USA, which provide treatments for rare diseases; and Analog Pharma Canada and Analog Pharma, specializing in orphan generic medications. From its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, DPG exports its innovative treatments to more than 50 countries. DPG is one of the 8 companies across the country chosen to participate in the Government of Canada's Global Hypergrowth Project. This appointment offers exclusive and personalized support for at least 2 years, in order to accelerate our growth to become an anchor firm in the Canadian economy. Duchesnay Pharmaceutical Group, through its proprietary research and development, and through exclusive partnerships, offers innovative treatments for a variety of medical conditions in women's health, urology, oncology and for rare diseases, plus lower-cost generic medications. DPG recognizes the dedication and professionalism of its employees and promotes a positive culture and flexible work environment. It is deeply committed to environmental responsibility and to giving back to the community through the support of various charitable organizations. For more information, please visit . References SOURCE Medunik USA

Mostafa Kamal succeeds Prime Therapeutics CEO Ken Paulus, who will retire. "I leave Prime in capable hands," Paulus said in a statement. In December 2022, Magellan Rx officially became a part of Prime Therapeutics. Now, Magellan's chief Mostafa Kamal is taking the helm of the entire organization, and he told Fierce Healthcare that he's focused on continuing to align the organizations' cultures and make it clear that not all pharmacy benefit managers are built the same. Prime is collectively owned by 19 Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, and that nonprofit foundation means the PBM is "not married to any business model," he said. This means the company is prepared to adapt should Congress' efforts to reform the industry bear fruit. "I think it's important to highlight the fact that not all PBMs are created equal," Kamal said. "And there are big-scale PBMs, like Prime, who are here to do the right thing for the right reasons, and don't have a profit motive." Kamal succeeds Prime Therapeutics CEO Ken Paulus, who will retire. "I leave Prime in capable hands," Paulus said in a statement. Kamal said that he comes to the PBM industry from a financial background and was working at a travel company when the call came from MedCo Health Solutions, a pharmacy benefit manager that merged with Express Scripts in 2012.  MedCo was looking to start a new pricing department, he said, and wanted to bring in outside viewpoints on key topics like risk adjustment and demand management. Kamal said it was around the time of the Express Scripts merger that he got the call from Magellan, which was looking to diversify beyond its foundation in behavioral health. He said he was initially skeptical of the prospect of launching a new PBM, given his experience at an industry giant, but after meeting with the team, he saw the potential of the company, which was building its initial focus in specialty pharmacy. This proved fortuitous, as specialty pharmacy is now the largest driver of drug spend, he said. "We really built Magellan Rx with a specialty-first focus and orientation and had a great time over the 10 years building and creating the company, essentially, from an idea to a meaningful player," Kamal said. "That took us right up to our combination with Prime." Magellan was initially acquired in early 2022 by government insurance giant Centene, but the payer elected to bring the behavioral health business into the fold while selling off the PBM arm as part of its value-creation plan. Kamal said that when Magellan Rx was courting buyers, the team wanted to ensure it found a company that would allow it to leverage its capabilities for a larger impact. Prime's strengths were complementary to Magellan's, he said. "The markets that Magellan Rx focused on, Medicaid and speciality, were areas where Prime was looking to enhance and upskill," he said. "The areas where Magellan didn't play at all—like a big health PBM business, a Blues PBM business—Prime was world class." In addition, Kamal said the two aligned on a community, patient-centric approach, which is central to the Blues DNA. Their nonprofit focus was "refreshing" for PBM, he added. Kamal said there's a huge level of excitement within Prime about the company's next chapter as it continues integration with Prime and plans for the future. "I believe it's our moment in time to make a material difference and impact on this marketplace at a time where the marketplace is clamoring for it," he said. "So that's what really attracted me most to be absolutely enthusiastic and honored to step into this role as CEO of Prime."