Specialty Pharmacy News Roundup: June 2024

 

The latest specialty pharmacy news and insights. Stay up to date on industry and company trends with Specialty Pharmacy Database and custom research projects. 

 

AcariaHealth, a national specialty pharmacy focused on improving care and outcomes for patients living with complex medical conditions and a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, announced the relocation of its St. Louis-area pharmacy facility to Chesterfield, Missouri, a nearly 40,000 square foot modern dispensing pharmacy and distribution center. The facility is the home of Foundation Care, one of AcariaHealth’s Centers of Excellence devoted to providing personalized care to patients with rare and chronic conditions. The Chesterfield location will expand current capabilities for commercial dispensing and wholesale distribution to patients across the country.

 

FFL Partners, a private equity firm focused on growth investments in Healthcare and Tech-Enabled Services businesses, announced that it has completed an investment in Apex Infusion a fast-growing provider of ambulatory infusion therapy services. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Signal Hill, Calif., Apex Infusion is dedicated to providing high-quality, reliable care to patients in the comfort of their own homes or in ambulatory settings, with the goal of achieving the best possible outcomes. Apex currently operates 11 locations in California.

 

Biologics by McKesson, an independent specialty pharmacy specializing in oncology and rare disease areas, has been selected by Accord BioPharma, Inc. as an exclusive specialty pharmacy provider for CAMCEVI (leuprolide) 42mg injection emulsion, for subcutaneous use. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 25, 2021, CAMCEVI is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist indicated for the treatment of adult patients with advanced prostate cancer.

 

BioMatrix Specialty Infusion Pharmacy announced the sale of the majority interests of the company from Acon Investments & Triton Pacific Healthcare to Frazier Healthcare Partners. The company also announced the appointment of Ted Kramm as its new Chief Executive Officer, with Kathee Kramm assuming the role of President. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

 

Specialty Pharmacy chain OptioRx, based in Northbrook, Ill., has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Founded in 2018, OptioRx operates specialty pharmacy segments across 18 locations in seven states, employing 260 workers, but has faced financial challenges due to discontinued products, a failed compounding strategy and competing pharmacies, according to TheStreet, June 11, 2024. OptioRx is a national compounding pharmacy that focuses on providing best-in-class patient care. OptioRx’s pharmacies provide medications to meet the unique needs of each patient, including wellness, hormone compounding, fertility medications, veterinary and animal-free compounding.

 

Orsini Specialty Pharmacy and Zevra Therapeutics announced that Orsini is now the pharmacy partner for OLPRUVA (sodium phenylbutyrate) for oral suspension. OLPRUVA is a prescription medicine used along with certain therapies, including changes in diet, for long-term management of certain adult and pediatric patients with urea cycle disorders (UCDs) involving deficiencies of carbamylphosphate synthetase (CPS), ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) or argininosuccinic acid synthetase (AS). Orsini is a leader in rare diseases and gene therapies. Orsini partners with biopharma innovators, healthcare providers and payors to support patients and their families in accessing revolutionary treatments for rare diseases.

 

Pentec Health, Inc., an industry leader in specialty infusion pharmacy and clinical nutrition services, announced its receipt of approval from the Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy for a new USP <800> compliant clean room dedicated to sterile and hazardous compounding. The investment in expanded sterile compounding capabilities, which can be delivered across the U.S., will broaden Pentec’s therapeutic offerings, further solidifying its position as a leading provider of specialized infusion pharmacy and complex in-home clinical services. Pentec is also investing in the development of a 36,000-square-foot state-of-the-art sterile compounding and specialty pharmacy in Gilbert, Arizona. This expansion marks the introduction of the company’s third licensed pharmacy, which will more than double Pentec’s sterile compounding and dispensing capacity, as well as offer new sterile compounding and specialty pharmacy capabilities.

 

Perigon Pharmacy 360, a leading provider of specialized pharmacy services for rare and complex conditions, announced its exclusive partnership as the designated specialty pharmacy for the newly released generic deflazacort oral suspension, for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). This partnership marks a significant stride in accessible healthcare solutions while reinforcing Perigon Pharmacy 360’s unwavering dedication to delivering affordable treatments without compromising quality.

 

Zeal Specialty Pharmacy announced that it has earned certification as a URAC Rare Disease Pharmacy Center of Excellence, effective June 1, 2024. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Zeal leverages cutting-edge technologies to optimize the patient experience – integrating messaging, smart devices, and predictive data into the day-to-day experience.  With a heightened focus for rare and orphan drug management, Zeal now joins the ranks of only 4 other pharmacies in the United States who have achieved Rare Disease focused specialization from both URAC and the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).