Exclusive: CVS to cover migraine drugs from Teva, Lilly; excludes Amgen

The move by CVS is a positive development for Teva, whose drug was initially excluded from the list of covered drugs by Express Scripts, another large U.S. PBM. Its status recently changed and it may appear on some coverage lists, but likely with a higher out-of-pocket cost, Express Scripts said on Friday.

NEW YORK: CVS Health Corp, a top U.S. manager of pharmacy benefits, has added new migraine drugs from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Eli Lilly and Co to its list of covered drugs, excluding a rival treatment from Amgen Inc, a CVS spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday.

CVS’s decision represents a setback for sales of Amgen’s Aimovig, as many patients who rely on the coverage list will now have easier access to the rival Teva and Lilly drugs. Inclusion on the preferred drugs lists by the largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and health insurers is seen as critically important for sales of new medicines.

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About 39 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches, according to the Migraine Research Foundation, and global migraine drug sales could reach $8.7 billion by 2026, according to analytics firm Global Data.

Shares of Amgen fell 1.3 per cent to $198.27. Teva shares traded in New York were up 1.3 per cent at $19.60, while Lilly was off 0.5 per cent at $114.36.

An Amgen spokeswoman said the company was disappointed by the CVS decision and that it would work toward Aimovig being a preferred brand on CVS coverage lists.

The move by CVS is a positive development for Teva, whose drug was initially excluded from the list of covered drugs by Express Scripts, another large U.S. PBM. Its status recently changed and it may appear on some coverage lists, but likely with a higher out-of-pocket cost, Express Scripts said on Friday.

Teva’s Ajovy and Lilly’s Emgality will be available to members who have tried and failed to be helped by other preventive migraine treatments, CVS spokeswoman Christine Cramer said in an emailed statement.

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