CVS Health chooses single PCSK9 inhibitor for its commercial formularies

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — After taking time to compare the two PCSK9 inhibitors approved by the Food and Drug Administration this year, CVS Health has determined that its CVS/caremark will list Amgen’s Repatha (evolocumab) over Regeneron Pharmaceuticals’ Praluent. (alirocumab).

 

CVS Health said its Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee evaluated both drugs thoroughly, determining that they were therapeutically equivalent, which was corroborated by board-certified cardiology and endocrinology specialists. 

 

“CVS Health is committed to providing high-quality medications for our clients and their members at the lowest possible cost,” CVS Health’s EVP and chief medical officer Troyen Brennan said. “We have determined that choosing a single PCSK9 inhibitor for our commercial formularies allows us to get the best price possible for clients and preserves our commitment to deliver the best care available.”

 

The company also added that, though PCKS9 inhibitors are a promising new treatment for high cholesterol, CVS/caremark’s approach begins with statins. This is not a new approach from the company which, in August following both drugs’ approvals, called for a reassessment of guidelines concerning high cholesterol in the Journal of American Medicine, arguing that it should be clearly defined which patients should receive the treatment, which could cost up to $14,600.

 

“We believe patients should have access to the right medication, at the right time and for the right reason,” Brennan said. “We anticipate that for most members with high cholesterol, statins will remain the standard of care, given long-standing evidence that they prevent heart disease and the fact that they are extremely cost-effective.”