Onco360 added to limited-distribution network for J&J, Pharmacyclics blood cancer drug

NEW YORK — Johnson & Johnson and Pharmacyclics have added a New York-based specialty pharmacy company focused on cancer to their limited-distribution network for a drug recently approved for a rare form of blood cancer.

Onco360 said Wednesday that it had become part of the network for distributing Imbruvica (ibrutinib) capsules. The announcement came the same day that the Food and Drug Adminsitration announced the approval of Imbruvica (ibrutinib) for mantle cell lymphoma, or MCL.

"As one of the select few specialty pharmacies in the network, Onco360 is very proud to have been chosen by Pharmacyclics and Janssen Biotech," Onco360 CEO Burt Zweigenhaft said, referring to the J&J subsidiary that co-markets Imbruvica.

Limited-distribution networks are set up by drug companies in order to control the distribution of drugs, usually specialty drugs that are distributed only to a few select specialty pharmacies. While their purpose is to ensure more efficient production, distribution and use of the drugs, they also often exclude retail pharmacies.