Biologics Selected by Agios Pharmaceuticals as Exclusive Distributor of PYRUKYND®

Biologics by McKesson, an independent specialty pharmacy specializing in oncology and rare disease areas, was selected by Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as a specialty pharmacy provider for PYRUKYND® (mitapivat) for the treatment of hemolytic anemia in adults with pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency. PYRUKYND is the first and only approved disease-modifying therapy for this rare, debilitating, lifelong hemolytic anemia.

PYRUKYND, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Feb. 17, 2022, is an orally administered, small molecule, pyruvate kinase activator. PYRUKYND was reviewed by the FDA under Priority Review, which is granted to investigational medicines that treat a serious condition and offer significant improvements in safety or effectiveness.

PYRUKYND was previously granted Orphan Drug designation by the FDA, a status for medicines intended to treat rare diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 individuals.

Biologics specialty pharmacy is committed to and recognized for its level of customer service as well as its innovative, high-touch and multidisciplinary patient-centric approach. Each team includes pharmacists with in-depth knowledge of therapies, experienced nurses and financial counselors who are familiar with various financial assistance programs and organizations that help patients.

For adult patients with PK Deficiency, Agios created myAgios® Patient Support Services to offer a single point of engagement for prescription and access support. Agios’ commercial team is focused on physicians and educating on PK deficiency.

Agios’ commercial launch launch strategy focuses on disease education, raising awareness of the benefit of PYRUKYND for eligible patients, and ensuring patients that are eligible have access and can stay on therapy. Agios believes there are approximately 1,500 to 4,000 people living with PK deficiency in the United States.

For eligible, commercially or privately insured patients, the program lowers the copay coinsurance deductible to $0. Patients are immediately connected to a myAgios patient support manager who can help them navigate insurance questions and provide adherence resources to ensure a smooth start on PYRUKYND.

 

Takeaway: PYRUKYND prescriptions are processed exclusively through Biologics by McKesson to give patients a seamless experience