CARY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Biologics, Inc., a McKesson Specialty Health oncology pharmacy services company, has been selected by AstraZeneca to be a specialty pharmacy provider in the limited distribution network for IMFINZITM (durvalumab). In addition to being available via specialty distribution, IMFINZI can also be dispensed by Biologics as a specialty pharmacy option.
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 1, 2017, IMFINZI is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy, or whose disease has progressed within 12 months of receiving platinum-containing chemotherapy before (neoadjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery. IMFINZI received Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA in February 2016.
The usual course of treatment for patients with advanced bladder cancer begins with a standard platinum-containing chemotherapy. Patients who have disease progression during or following chemotherapy are left with few other treatment options. It’s estimated that 79,000 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2017, with UC comprising the majority of those cases.1
“We’re excited to support patients taking this new immuno-oncology therapy as there has been a significant need for additional treatment options for advanced UC,” said Brandon Tom, vice president, Biopharma Services, McKesson Specialty Health. “Our team’s experience and knowledge in specialty medications will provide the clinical, financial and emotional support that patients need when starting a new treatment.”
Biologics’ oncology specialty pharmacy is supported by a multidisciplinary care team that includes a pharmacist, oncology nurse and financial counselor. Individualized care plans are developed to address the unique needs of each patient and to streamline communication back to the treating provider.
Physicians may submit prescriptions to Biologics via phone (800.850.4306), fax (800.823.4506) or eScribe. For electronic prescribing systems, physicians may search for Biologics within their EMR system.
About IMFINZI™ (durvalumab)
IMFINZI™ (durvalumab) is a human monoclonal antibody directed against PD-L1. Durvalumab is also being studied in the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable and metastatic bladder cancer as a monotherapy and in combination with tremelimumab, a checkpoint inhibitor that targets CTLA-4, as part of the DANUBE Phase III trial, for which the last patient commenced dosing during the first quarter of 2017. Additional clinical trials are ongoing to investigate durvalumab as monotherapy or in combination with tremelimumab in multiple solid tumors and blood cancers. IMFINZI is a trademark of the AstraZeneca group of companies and is manufactured and distributed by AstraZeneca.
About Biologics
Biologics, Inc. is an oncology pharmacy services company that empowers healthcare providers, payers and biopharma to optimize cancer care for the best possible outcomes – clinical, financial and emotional. Unifying fragmented healthcare services, Biologics brings efficiency and humanity to oncology care management by focusing on the patient’s best interest as the surest path to managing cost and risk.
Biologics is part of McKesson Specialty Health, a division of McKesson Corporation empowering the community patient care delivery system by helping community practices advance the science, technology and quality of care. Through innovative clinical research, business and operational solutions, facilitated by integrated technology systems, we focus on improving the financial health of our customers so they may provide the best care to their patients. Our combined organization will help better support patients and expedite access to oncology therapies. For more information, visit www.mckessonspecialtyhealth.com and www.biologicsinc.com.
1 https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
Media Contact
McKesson Specialty Health
Claire Crye, 281-825-9927
claire.crye@mckesson.com
