Formulary Advantages in Asthma and COPD

The asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) market represents a brand-dominated market that could face substantial changes over the next few years by the possible arrival of generic medications as well as the launch of several new monotherapies and combination therapies. Approximately 10 million Americans are currently diagnosed with COPD (although the actual number suffering from this condition could be several million more). Another 22 million are diagnosed with asthma, generating billions of dollars in healthcare expenses. Those suffering from these conditions can take monotherapy medications that include both long and short-acting beta-2 agonists (SABAs) as well as long-acting muscarinic antagonists and inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs). Major brands will have to contend with the expected rise of branded generic therapies of GlaxoSmithKline's Flovent (fluticasone) and Advair (salmeterol/fluticasone propionate), which may drive payors to tighten their formularies and cover expensive branded therapies on Tier 3 or higher. Drug manufacturers are reacting to this prospect by developing new therapies that offer improved administration over existing therapies and by combining various types of drugs to boost their effectiveness. With multiple drugs slated to launch featuring similar combinations, the COPD and asthma market may see intense competition centered on these new therapies.

Using tiering and restrictions data from Fingertip Formulary, as well as insight from 47 pharmacy directors, this report determines the key trends in reimbursement of immune biologics, drivers of these trends, and how stakeholders can capitalize on future shifts in coverage to steal share from the competition.