AmerisourceBergen selected by Deciphera to support QINLOCK (ripretinib)

QINLOCK was recently approved by the FDA as an orally administered kinase switch control inhibitor approved for the treatment of adult patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) who have received prior treatment with 3 or more kinase inhibitors, including imatinib. In the United States, there are an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 cases of GIST, a rare form of cancer, diagnosed annually. 

Deciphera has been building commercial and medical affairs organizations to be ready to launch for ripretinib in the U.S. At the present time, Deciphera’s commercial team has prepared for the launch of ripretinib in a healthcare environment limited to no physical and promotional activities.

The ripretinib NDA is also part of Project Orbis, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among participating International Health Authorities.

AmerisourceBergen is providing a unified commercialization approach for QINLOCK through:

Specialty distribution: ASD Healthcare will support the distribution of QINLOCK to approved hospitals, specialty pharmacies and government entities. Oncology Supply, also a part of AmerisourceBergen, provides specialty distribution to independent oncology practices nationwide and will support the distribution of QINLOCK to oncology practices and clinics for in office dispensing.

GPO contracting for community oncology: AmerisourceBergen provides GPO contracting, integrated dispensing solutions and expertise through ION Solutions. 

Third-party logistics: ICS, a pharmaceutical third-party logistics provider, aims to increase supply chain efficiency and ensure commercial success for this product. ICS will support distribution to specialty pharmacies and distributors and provide full order-to-cash services. 

Dispensing: US Bioservices has more than 25 years of experience supporting small patient populations and is dispensing QINLOCK. The pharmacy also provides customized clinical care, focused on supporting adherence and patient outcomes.

Takeaway: AmerisourceBergen’s unified approach is supported by commercialization support services – from global clinical trial and specialty logistics to patient access and adherence