Acentrus Specialty Contracts with Chiasma to Bring MYCAPSSA® (octreotide) to Health Systems and Hospitals in the Acentrus Network
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Acentrus Specialty™, a national network of health systems and hospitals committed to providing specialty pharmacy care for their patients, has finalized an agreement with Chiasma, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHMA) to provide qualified Acentrus clients access to MYCAPSSA® (octreotide), delayed-release oral capsules for long-term maintenance treatment in acromegaly patients who have responded to and tolerated treatment with octreotide or lanreotide.
“We are pleased to provide our network hospitals and their patients access to the first and only FDA-approved oral somatostatin analog (SSA) treatment for acromegaly,” said Acentrus Specialty Vice President George Zula. “Limited distribution drugs like MYCAPSSA® are highly sought after and Acentrus works with drug companies to open the door to these medications for specialty pharmacies operated by our network hospitals. This means that patients may begin treatment sooner and with the significant advantage of integrated care from pharmacy professionals they know and trust.”
“Chiasma is very pleased to enter into this agreement with Acentrus to significantly expand the access and distribution of MYCAPSSA® to qualified hospital specialty pharmacies that want to offer our oral treatment for appropriate acromegaly patients within their institutions and are committed to providing dedicated patient services consistent with those offered through our own Chiasma Access and Patient Support program,” said Chiasma Vice President Market Access Dan Thornton. “We have entered into this partnership agreement with Acentrus to continue to help address the significant unmet needs of patients living with acromegaly by expanding patient access to oral MYCAPSSA® therapy.”
Participation in Acentrus is open to hospital organizations of all sizes, types and affiliations. Clients, which range from academic medical centers to community-based hospitals, share one goal: to provide their patients with high-quality care in a setting where clinical and pharmacy services are integrated.
There is no cost for an organization to join the Acentrus network, which provides 115 health systems and hospitals with the following benefits:
- Access to difficult-to-obtain specialty medications
- Data management
- Collaboration with health system peers dedicated to sharing best practices
- Portfolio of other services to help hospital-based specialty pharmacies meet the needs of their patients, including backup and contract pharmacy as well as expertise in licensing and accreditation
About Acentrus Specialty
Acentrus Specialty is the integrated care network and health system solution for specialty pharmacy, addressing the largest and fastest growing area of health care expenditures by empowering members to deliver exceptional, cost-effective, locally integrated care. This is accomplished through a portfolio of services and specialty pharmacy products, as well as member sharing of clinical and operational best practices. The network of health systems consists mainly of academic medical centers and integrated delivery networks, serving more than 4.6 million inpatient admissions annually, treated by nearly 200,000 physicians. Follow Acentrus on LinkedIn or on the web at acentrusrx.com.
About Chiasma
Chiasma is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing oral therapies to improve the lives of patients who face challenges associated with their existing treatments for rare and serious chronic diseases. Employing its Transient Permeability Enhancer (TPE®) technology platform, Chiasma seeks to develop oral medications that are currently available only as injections. In June 2020, Chiasma received FDA approval of MYCAPSSA for long-term maintenance therapy in acromegaly patients who have responded to and tolerated treatment with octreotide or lanreotide. MYCAPSSA, the first and only oral somatostatin analog approved by the FDA, is available for commercial sale. Chiasma is headquartered in Needham, MA with a wholly owned subsidiary in Israel. MYCAPSSA, TPE and CHIASMA are registered trademarks of Chiasma. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.chiasma.com.
INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
INDICATION AND USAGE
MYCAPSSA (octreotide) delayed-release capsules, for oral use, is a somatostatin analog indicated for long-term maintenance treatment in acromegaly patients who have responded to and tolerated treatment with octreotide or lanreotide.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Hypersensitivity to octreotide or any of the components of MYCAPSSA. Anaphylactoid reactions, including anaphylactic shock, have been reported in patients receiving octreotide.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Warnings and Precautions
MYCAPSSA can cause problems with the gallbladder. Monitor patients periodically. Discontinue if complications of cholelithiasis are suspected.
Blood sugar, thyroid levels, and vitamin B12 levels should be monitored and treated accordingly.
Bradycardia, arrhythmia, or conduction abnormalities may occur. Treatment with drugs that have bradycardia effects may need to be adjusted.
ADVERSE REACTIONS
The most common adverse reactions (incidence >10%) are nausea, diarrhea, headache, arthralgia, asthenia, hyperhidrosis, peripheral swelling, blood glucose increased, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, dyspepsia, sinusitis, and osteoarthritis.
DRUG INTERACTIONS
The following drugs require monitoring and possible dose adjustment when used with MYCAPSSA: cyclosporine, insulin, antidiabetic drugs, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, lisinopril, digoxin, bromocriptine, and drugs mainly metabolized by CYP3A4. Counsel women to use an alternative non-hormonal method of contraception or a back-up method when MYCAPSSA is used with combined oral contraceptives.
Patients taking proton pump inhibitors, H2-receptor antagonists, or antacids concomitantly with MYCAPSSA may require increased dosages of MYCAPSSA.
PREGNANCY
Advise premenopausal females of the potential for an unintended pregnancy.
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact the product information department at 1-844-312-2462 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch
The full Prescribing Information for MYCAPSSA is available at www.MYCAPSSA.com
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