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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued an order requiring dairy cows be tested for the bird flu before they are transported across state lines, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Illinois and Maryland.
- Illinois: Walgreens has launched a newly integrated business unit called Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy, which includes the specialty and home delivery company AllianceRx. According to Walgreens, the integrated model allows the company to provide payers, health plans, and pharma with specialty pharmacy services without needing pharmacy benefit managers. "We can partner directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers to facilitate products to market, including limited distribution drugs, and coordinate closely with providers to ensure patients experience a smooth start to treatment," said Rick Gates, Walgreens' chief pharmacy officer. The company is also launching a new service to help manage the cost and delivery of new cell and gene therapies. A new 18,000-square-foot Gene and Cell Services Pharmacy and Innovation Center will be opened in Pittsburgh and allow the company to manage logistics, supply chain, financing, and clinical support for emerging therapies. (Reed, Axios, 4/25; Landi, Fierce Healthcare, 4/25)
- Maryland: USDA recently issued an order requiring all dairy cows to test negative for influenza A viruses, including bird flu, before being transported across state lines. The order came a day after FDA reported finding remnants of the bird flu virus were found in commercially available pasteurized milk. So far, bird flu has infected cows in over 30 herds across eight states, and at least one person in Texas has been infected with the virus. Although federal health officials say the risk of bird flu to humans is still low, evidence suggests that the outbreak among cows may be more widespread than originally believed. According to Mike Watson, a senior USDA official, testing cows will help protect the livestock industry, limit viral transmission, and "better understand this disease." According to Watson, the department will be able to process tens of thousands of tests every day, with results expected after one to three days. USDA will also reimburse dairy farms for testing asymptomatic cows, along with those being transported. (Weiland et al., New York Times, 4/24; Reed, Axios, 4/24)
- Maryland: FDA has approved Pfizer's new gene therapy to treat a rare bleeding disorder called hemophilia B. The treatment, which is called Beqvez, is the company's first gene therapy to be approved in the United States. Beqvez is a one-time treatment that inserts a correct copy of the mutated gene that causes hemophilia B into a patient, which then prevents dangerous bleeding episodes. In a clinical trial, the treatment reduced the annualized rate of bleeds by 71% compared to standard treatment for the disease, which involves injections of factor IX proteins to boost blood clotting. "Many people with hemophilia B struggle with the commitment and lifestyle disruption of regular [factor IX] infusions, as well as spontaneous bleeding episodes, which can lead to painful joint damage and mobility issues," said Adam Cuker, director of Penn Medicine's Comprehensive and Hemophilia Thrombosis Program. Beqvez "has the potential to be transformative for appropriate patients by reducing both the medical and treatment burden over the long term," he added. Pfizer plans to charge $3.5 million for the drug before insurance or any rebates, and the company will offer a warranty program to refund payers if patients don't benefit from the treatment. (Constantino, CNBC, 4/26; Garde, Bloomberg, 4/26)
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