New rare disease therapy supported by AmerisourceBergen’s unified offerings including specialty pharmacy dispensing, distribution services, 3PL and community oncology services
VALLEY FORGE, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AmerisourceBergen, a global healthcare solutions leader, announced today that it has been selected by Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (Karyopharm) to support XPOVIO™ (selinexor). AmerisourceBergen is providing a unified commercialization approach for XPOVIO™, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 3, 2019. XPOVIO™ is a nuclear export inhibitor indicated in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who have received at least four prior therapies and whose disease is refractory to at least two proteasome inhibitors, at least two immunomodulatory agents, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.
In the United States, there are 32,000 new cases of multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells, each year.1 There are approximately 130,000 patients living with multiple myeloma in the United States today.2 The blood cancer is characterized by disease-related symptoms, including fatigue or weakness, unusual bleeding or bruising, and bone pain or fractures.3 Patients who suffer from relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma have an average five to nine month survival rate depending on the number of prior lines of therapy.4 XPOVIO™ inhibits the function of a nuclear export protein called XPO1 and induces the accumulation of tumor suppressor proteins in the cell nucleus, leading to the selective death of cancer cells.5
“We are proud to work with Karyopharm to introduce a new treatment option to our customers for patients affected by this rare disease,” said Joe Cappello, Senior Vice President, Global Specialty & Branded Product Strategy & Access at AmerisourceBergen. “At AmerisourceBergen, we act as one unified business, offering a breadth of services and custom commercialization plans to our manufacturing partners. Through this seamless experience, we can improve product performance and increase patient access to specialized therapies like XPOVIO™.”
AmerisourceBergen’s established expertise in supporting rare disease treatments helps ensure that critical medications are safely delivered from manufacturers to patients every day. AmerisourceBergen is supporting XPOVIO™ through:
- Specialty distribution: ASD Healthcare, one of the nation’s largest specialty pharmaceutical distributors servicing 95 percent of U.S. hospitals, as well as specialty pharmacies, hemophilia centers, home healthcare companies and retail pharmacies, handles distribution services. Oncology Supply provides specialty distribution to independent oncology practices nationwide.
- GPO contracting for community oncology: AmerisourceBergen provides GPO contracting, integrated dispensing solutions and expertise through ION Solutions, the largest physician service organization and group purchasing organization specializing in the support of independent, community oncology practices.
- Third-party logistics: ICS, a pharmaceutical third-party logistics provider with 925,000 square feet of managed warehouse space across four strategic locations, aims to increase supply chain efficiency and ensure commercial success for selinexor. ICS will support distribution to specialty pharmacies and distributors. ICS was engaged two years prior to commercialization to support API storage and preparation for launch.
- Dispensing: AmerisourceBergen’s specialty pharmacy US Bioservices has more than two decades of experience supporting small patient populations and is dispensing XPOVIO™. The pharmacy also provides customized clinical care, focused on supporting adherence and patient outcomes. Physicians may submit prescriptions for selinexor to US Bioservices via phone (877.757.0667), fax (888.899.0067), ePrescribe or the MyPathpoint Prescriber Portal.
AmerisourceBergen’s unified approach is supported by world-class commercialization support services – from global clinical trial and specialty logistics to patient access and adherence. By offering assistance at all stages of the product life cycle, AmerisourceBergen enables manufacturers to stay focused on developing life-saving therapies, while also having the confidence that their developments are expertly commercialized and brought to patients in need.
About AmerisourceBergen
AmerisourceBergen provides pharmaceutical products, value-driving services and business solutions that improve access to care. Tens of thousands of healthcare providers, veterinary practices and livestock producers trust us as their partner in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Global manufacturers depend on us for services that drive commercial success for their products. Through our daily work — and powered by our 21,000 associates — we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #10 on the Fortune 500, with more than $160 billion in annual revenue. The company is headquartered in Valley Forge, Pa. and has a presence in 50+ countries. Learn more at amerisourcebergen.com.
[1] Key Statistics About Multiple Myeloma. (2019, January 9). Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiple-myeloma/about/key-statistics.html.
[2] SEER Cancer Stat Facts, 2019. National Cancer Institute
[3] What Is Multiple Myeloma?. (2018, February 28). Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiple-myeloma/about/what-is-multiple-myeloma.html.
[4] Risk of progression and survival in multiple myeloma relapsing after therapy with IMiDs and bortezomib: A multicenter international myeloma working group study. (2011, July 29). Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/leu2011196.
[5] Karyopharm Announces FDA Extension of Review Period for Selinexor New Drug Application. (2019, March 14). Retrieved from https://investors.karyopharm.com/news-releases/news-release-details/karyopharm-announces-fda-extension-review-period-selinexor-new.
Contacts
Francesca Gunning, AmerisourceBergen
610-727-7433 – Office
215-603-9264 – Mobile
fgunning@AmerisourceBergen.com
Kelly Nguyen, Tierney Communications
215-790-4181 – Office
609-385-6701 – Mobile
knguyen@tierneyagency.com