CHICAGO, June 07, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tolmar Pharmaceuticals Inc., a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced new formulary placement for ELIGARD® with Rite-Aid’s Pharmacy Benefits Manager (PBM) EnvisionRx, providing favorable coverage for patients with advanced prostate cancer in several of its plans. The additions reflect a growing list of plans and PBMs that have contracted with Tolmar for enhanced patient access to Eligard, fueling the company’s growth in the oncology and urology marketplace.
ELIGARD is the only subcutaneously administered leuprolide acetate injection therapy for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer. It is now a Preferred Specialty agent for EnvisionRx Standard and Select Commercial plans and is covered on EnvisionRx Plus Medicare and for those on the Managed Medicaid plan, representing more than 3.5 million enrolled members. With the addition of EnvisionRx plans, Eligard is now accessible for more than 31 million lives covered under commercial plans, as well as 21 million and 1.4 million lives for Managed Medicaid and Medicare Part D, respectively.
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"These favorable formulary positions reflect a growing awareness among payors of the unique combination of clinical and economic value that makes ELIGARD® the fastest-growing product in its class," said Susan Rodriguez, President, Branded Division, Tolmar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "Healthcare professionals are increasingly selecting ELIGARD for their patients due to its clinical profile, subcutaneous method of administration, and lower price point. Our goal as a company is to ensure that ELIGARD is accessible to the broadest number of patients with advanced prostate cancer. These recent gains across key payor formularies represent another positive step forward towards achieving this goal."
ELIGARD is the lowest priced (Wholesale Acquisition Cost/WAC) leuprolide acetate across all dosage regimens (1, 3, 4, and 6 months), which may help patients save on out-of-pocket costs*. As the first and only subcutaneous leuprolide acetate for advanced prostate cancer, ELIGARD provides site of care flexibility and enhanced patient experience, in addition to powerful testosterone suppression across all doses. Subcutaneous administration enables a greater number of potential injection sites, which allows for administration in an infusion center setting.
For more information about coverage under these plans, please contact Tolmar Pharmaceuticals at 224-880-5770 or info@tolmar.com.
*Insurance deductibles and co-insurance requirements.
About Tolmar and ELIGARD (leuprolide acetate) for injectable suspension
Tolmar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., along with its affiliated companies, is a fully integrated pharmaceutical company focused on the innovative development, approval, manufacturing and commercialization of specialty pharmaceuticals. The Company's lead product, ELIGARD® (leuprolide acetate) for injectable suspension, is a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist indicated for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Tolmar global headquarters, product development and manufacturing facilities are based in northern Colorado, while Tolmar Pharmaceuticals' U.S. commercial business is based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. For more information about the company, please visit www.Tolmar.com. Information about ELIGARD is available at eligard.com.
ELIGARD (leuprolide acetate) for injectable suspension is a prescription drug, given by injection, for the management of advanced prostate cancer. However, there is no known cure for advanced prostate cancer.
Important Safety Information for ELIGARD (leuprolide acetate) for injectable suspension
ELIGARD is a medicine for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. It works by reducing the amount of testosterone in the blood. It is not a cure.
ELIGARD should not be used by anyone who is allergic to any of the ingredients in ELIGARD or to any medicines that reduce testosterone the same way. ELIGARD should not be used by women who are pregnant or may become pregnant. ELIGARD can cause pregnancy loss or harm to an unborn baby if used in pregnant women.
Severe and possibly life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis have occurred in people receiving ELIGARD.
Increased risk of heart attack, sudden death due to heart problems and stroke have also been reported in men taking ELIGARD. ELIGARD may also affect electrical activity in the heart that can cause an irregular heartbeat. Your doctor will monitor you for heart conditions.
Elevated blood sugar and an increased risk of developing diabetes have been reported in men receiving ELIGARD. Your doctor will monitor blood sugar levels.
ELIGARD causes an increase in testosterone during the first few weeks of therapy and some men may experience new or worsening symptoms of prostate cancer e.g., bone pain, urinary symptoms, or nerve problems such as numbness, during this period. If your cancer has spread to the urinary tract or spine, urinary blockage or pressure on the spine that can lead to paralysis may occur. Your doctor will discuss with you the benefits and risks of taking ELIGARD.
The most common injection site reactions are transient burning and stinging, pain, bruising, and redness. The most common side effects include hot flashes/sweats, fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, dizziness, clamminess, testicular shrinkage, decreased erections and enlargement of breasts. Other side effects, including thinning of bones that may lead to fracture, and rare but serious problems with the pituitary gland in the brain, have been reported with ELIGARD.
See package insert for full prescribing and safety information.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ef382d9a-d86c-4bd1-bd2a-b4acd796d792