Payers – Three Upcoming Drugs to Watch

February 2, 2022

OptumRX has released its quarterly pharmacy benefit manager’s quarterly drug pipeline report. The report focuses on three upcoming drugs that are entering hot markets. The first is Tezepelumab, also called Tezspire, which is a severe asthma drug with wide-ranging indications. Another is cabotegravir, a long-term HIV preexposure prophylaxis medication that is taken six times a year versus the market standard of once-daily pills.

According to Fierce Healthcare, “The report’s final drug, vadadustat, would enter the kidney care market, one that has been quite busy across the industry over the past several years. The drug would offer a novel treatment for anemia associated with chronic kidney disease. Sadeghi said this drug could also be one that poses a challenge to insurers, as other therapies in the market have established a standard of care in this space.”