Amgen announces Repatha co-preferred position on Express Scripts national formulary

One of the largest pharmacy benefit managers to provide access to cholesterol-lowering medication Repatha (evolocumab) for millions of patients in need.

"Ensuring access to Repatha for appropriate patients is among Amgen's highest priorities," said Anthony C. Hooper, executive vice president of Global Commercial Operations at Amgen. "We are delighted that Express Scripts has chosen to preserve physician and patient treatment choice for patients who need intensive and predictable LDL lowering. This is an important milestone for patients. We will continue to engage constructively with other payers to enable patients to have access to Repatha."

Repatha, approved by the FDA on 27 August, is indicated as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), who require additional lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); and as an adjunct to diet and other LDL-lowering therapies for the treatment of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), who require additional lowering of LDL-C. The effect of Repatha on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.

In Phase III trials, adding Repatha to background lipid-lowering therapy that included statins resulted in intensive reductions in LDL-C levels with favorable effects on other lipid parameters. In patients with clinical ASCVD or HeFH, Repatha reduced LDL-C by approximately 54–77% compared with placebo. In a pivotal Phase III trial, 90% of clinical ASCVD patients who received Repatha in addition to maximum doses of statins achieved a LDL-C level less than 70 mg/dL. In patients with HoFH, Repatha reduced LDL-C by approximately 30% compared with placebo.1 Elevated LDL-C is an abnormality of cholesterol and/or fats in the blood. In the US, there are approximately 11 million people with ASCVD and/or familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), who have uncontrolled levels of LDL-C over 70 mg/dL, despite treatment with statins or other cholesterol-lowering therapies. FH is caused by genetic mutations that lead to high levels of LDL-C at an early age. It is estimated that one million people in the US have FH (heterozygous and homozygous forms), yet less than 1% are diagnosed.