Affordable Care Act Prescription Trends Highlights Week in Specialty Pharmacy

A look back at the top stories of the week on Specialty Pharmacy Times.

Affordable Care Act Enrollees Have Lower Average Drug Spending

Marketplace users less likely to use most medication classes except for hepatitis C and HIV.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/Affordable-Care-Act-Enrollees-Have-Lower-Average-Drug-Spending

Experimental Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Improves Symptoms

Drug found to improve physical function.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/Experimental-Rheumatoid-Arthritis-Drug-Improve-Symptoms

How Can Radiotherapy Be Enhanced Across Wide Range of Cancer Types?

Combination therapy with AKT inhibitors shows promise.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/How-Can-Radiotherapy-Be-Enhanced-Across-Wide-Range-of-Cancer-Types

How Can Specialty Pharmacies Improve Adherence?

David Lassen, chief clinical officer at Prime Therapeutics, discusses methods to overcome the impact of increasingly high copays on patient adherence.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/videos/How-Can-Specialty-Pharmacies-Improve-Adherence

Advanced Prostate Cancer Combination Therapy Shows Promise

Chemotherapy combination extends progression-free survival over standard chemotherapy.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/Advanced-Prostate-Cancer-Combination-Therapy-Shows-Promise

FDA Grants Priority Review to Merck’s Lung Cancer Drug

Keytruda is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/FDA-Grants-Priority-Review-to-Mercks-Lung-Cancer-Drug

Why Do Ovarian Cancer Drugs Fail?

Research seeks to determine how cancer cells avoid chemotherapy.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/Why-Do-Ovarian-Cancer-Drugs-Fail

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Treatment Shows Significant Survival Benefit

High level of benefit found in Gazyva compared with bendamustine.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/Non-Hodgkins-Lymphoma-Treatment-Shows-Significant-Survival-Benefit

Merck Drug Seeks FDA Approval for 3 Hepatitis C Genotypes

Therapy is also being evaluated for advanced chronic kidney disease, inherited blood disorders, and liver cirrhosis.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/Merck-Drug-Seeks-FDA-Approval-for-3-Hepatitis-C-Genotypes

Young Patients Drive Spike in Melanoma Incidence Rate

Melanoma incidence increased 250% in children, adolescents and young adults since 1973.

http://www.specialtypharmacytimes.com/news/Young-Patients-Drive-Spike-in-Melanoma-Incidence-Rate