Specialty Pharmacy

WASHINGTON — Despite the promise of oral drugs for treating cancer, high costs and the burden of taking multiple medications drive 10% of patients prescribed the drugs not to fill their initial prescriptions, according to a new study published in the Journal of Oncology Practice and the American Journal of Managed Care.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Cancer drugs are expected to see sharp increases in spending and use by 2013, according to the latest drug trend report by pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions.

The overall drug trend for 2010 was 3.7%, lowered by higher rates of generic drug dispensing; more than 71% of drugs dispensed were generics. Specialty drugs, mostly branded biologics, accounted for 70.1% of the overall drug trend, with especially strong growth in cancer drugs, whose drug trend reached 21.2%.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Global spending on medicines will reach nearly $1.1 trillion by 2015, according to a new study by market research firm IMS Health.

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — A cancer drug made by Amgen reduced the chances of prostate cancer spreading to the bones, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial presented at the American Urological Association’s annual meeting in Washington.

The phase-3 “Study ‘147” of Xgeva (denosumab) showed that men taking the drug survived for four months longer without the cancer spreading to their bones, compared with those taking placebo.

WASHINGTON — A branded drug made by Watson Pharmaceuticals reduced symptoms in men with prostate disease, according to results of a mid-stage clinical trial.

Data from the phase-2 study of the drug Rapaflo (silodosin) presented at the American Urological Association’s annual meeting showed that it reduced symptoms and improved outcomes in men with chronic prostatitis/pelvic pain syndrome, also known as CP/CPPS.

BRISBANE, Calif. — An investigational drug made by InterMune improved breathing in patients with a rare and fatal lung disease, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial published online in The Lancet last week.

InterMune is investigating the drug pirfenidone as a treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which affects more than 200,000 patients in the European Union and the United States combined. Only 20% of patients with IPF survive after five years.

INDIANAPOLIS — Drug maker Eli Lilly will present data from more than 30 studies at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting in Chicago next month, the company said Monday.

Studies will include “PARAMOUNT,” a late-stage clinical trial investigating the drug Alimta (pemetrexed) in patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, as well as studies on Gemzar (gemcitabine) and Erbitux (cetuximab) with partner companies Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck KGaA.

SILVER SPRING, Md.— The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for chronic hepatitis C, the agency said Friday.

The FDA announced the approval of Merck’s Victrelis (boceprevir) for patients with the disease. The drug is designed for patients who still have some liver function and have not previously received treatment for chronic hepatitis C infection or have failed previous treatments. The drug is approved for use in combination with the generic drug ribavirin and pegylated interferons, biotech drugs used for treating the disease.