Majority of Surveyed Pharmacy Directors Expect Health Plans to Cover Collegium's COL-003 and King's Remoxy Over Other Emerging Agents for Chronic Pain

NASHVILLE, Tenn. and GLEN ROCK, N.J., Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLeaders-InterStudy and Fingertip Formulary find that pharmacy directors expect health plans to cover Collegium's COL-003 and King Pharmaceutical's Remoxy over other emerging agents for chronic pain. According to the new report entitled Formulary Advantages in Analgesics for Chronic Pain Therapies: How Will Emerging Reformulations and Fixed-Dose Combinations Fare Among U.S. Health Plans?, while pharmacy directors indicate their plans are eager to cover these agents on their formulary, they believe that widespread use of tamper-resistant formulations of opioids will increase their health plan's prescription drug costs for chronic pain.

In addition, the report also finds that more private, commercial and Medicare beneficiaries have access to Eli Lilly's Cymbalta on lower formulary tiers than any other brand marketed for painful diabetic neuropathy and fibromyalgia. The lack of an in-class generic with comparable efficacy contributes to Cymbalta's success in achieving preferred reimbursement status.

"Eli Lilly's recent FDA approval for Cymbalta for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain means that Cymbalta's preferred reimbursement status will likely translate into a significant commercial advantage," says Leigh Compton, M.D., Ph.D. "Health plans are eager to cut back opioid abuse, misuse and drug-seeking behaviors that lead to increased office and ER visits; however, pharmacy directors are skeptical that abuse- and tamper-resistant formulations of opioids, such as COL-003 and Remoxy, will reduce their non-prescription drug spending on chronic pain. As a result, Collegium and King will need to demonstrate the ability of their agents to reduce health care costs and overall abuse rates."

The new Formulary Forum report is based on a survey of 47 U.S. pharmacy directors who average 13 years on their plans' Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee, as well as historical formulary data from Fingertip Formulary.

About Fingertip Formulary

Fingertip Formulary (www.FingertipFormulary.com), the leading provider of access to and insight into formulary data in the United States, offers comprehensive formulary data covering commercial, Medicaid, Medicare and PBM plans, among others. Fingertip Formulary is a Decision Resources, Inc. company.

About HealthLeaders-InterStudy

HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is the authoritative source for managed care data, analysis and news. For more information, please visit www.HL-ISY.com.

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Both HealthLeaders-InterStudy and Fingertip Formulary are Decision Resources, Inc. companies. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.

All company, brand or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or  registered trademarks of their respective holders.

SOURCE HealthLeaders-InterStudy

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