Atorvastatin

epocrates Delivered Clinical and Commercial Innovation in 2023, Building a Foundation for Scale, Impact, and Engagement for its 1 million+ Physician User Base

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 27, 2024

The home screen and newsfeed are core experiences for epocrates users, and the company made several updates to bring educational and actionable information more front and center for clinicians.

Key Points: 
  • The home screen and newsfeed are core experiences for epocrates users, and the company made several updates to bring educational and actionable information more front and center for clinicians.
  • These updates include a new home page newsfeed on epocrates web, calls to action on newsfeed articles, and enhanced interactive functionality.
  • These enhancements serve to streamline clinicians’ experience while navigating the platform and offer information that may assist with patients they see in the future.
  • “The ability to purchase enterprise-wide subscriptions was something we'd been asking for and are pleased to see that it's now an option."

Organon Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year Ended December 31, 2023

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 15, 2024

For the fourth quarter of 2023, total revenue was $1,598 million, an increase of 8% on an as-reported basis as well as excluding impact of foreign currency (ex-FX), compared with the fourth quarter of 2022.

Key Points: 
  • For the fourth quarter of 2023, total revenue was $1,598 million, an increase of 8% on an as-reported basis as well as excluding impact of foreign currency (ex-FX), compared with the fourth quarter of 2022.
  • Women’s Health revenue increased 7% on an as-reported basis, and increased 8% ex-FX in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the fourth quarter of 2022 driven primarily by strong growth in the company's fertility products, particularly Follistim AQ® (follitropin beta injection).
  • Revenue of Hadlima™ (adalimumab-bwwd) more than doubled in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the fourth quarter of 2022 as a result of continued uptake since its July 2023 launch in the U.S.
  • Established Brands revenue increased 3% as-reported and 3% ex-FX in the fourth quarter of 2023 despite the impacts of Volume Based Procurement (VBP) initiatives and a challenging operating environment in China.

Innovative Medicines Provide Greater Value to Patients and Society than Previously Calculated

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 6, 2023

WASHINGTON, Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new report released today by the nonprofit group No Patient Left Behind revealed critical flaws in a key metric used by U.S. insurance companies and foreign governments to determine whether to cover prescribed treatments at low out-of-pocket costs. The report found that the methodology used by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) for analyzing the cost-effectiveness of drugs has been incorrectly claiming a number of medications offer insufficient value to patients and society.

Key Points: 
  • “When prices accurately reflect value to society, they encourage innovation that benefits patients and their families the most.
  • Traditional CEA also fails to account for the greater value that sicker patients might receive from a drug as compared to healthier patients.
  • Yet that quantifiable value doesn’t factor into how ICER or others practicing traditional cost-effectiveness math calculate the value of medicines when they first launch.
  • Payors have a responsibility to now pass along that value to patients without burdening them with high out-of-pocket costs."

Here's what new 60-day prescriptions mean for you and your hip pocket

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, August 31, 2023

This means you could walk away from the pharmacy with 60-days’ worth of your usual medicine from a single prescription.

Key Points: 
  • This means you could walk away from the pharmacy with 60-days’ worth of your usual medicine from a single prescription.
  • You would also need fewer trips to the GP for a prescription and fewer visits to the pharmacy to have your medicine dispensed.
  • But not all medicines are yet eligible for 60-day scripts and not everyone is prescribed 60-days’ worth of medicine at a time.

Can I get a 60-day script today?

    • To be eligible for a prescription that provides medicine for 60 days your medication needs to be on the approved list.
    • Under the new rules, this could mean up to 12 months’ supply of medicine (the initial script plus five “repeats”).
    • You would have to pay for each of these repeat scripts when your medicine is dispensed every 60 days.

Is my medicine on the list?

    • This includes some of the most common medicines prescribed in Australia, such as atorvastatin for lowering cholesterol, and perindopril for lowering blood pressure.
    • The following stages, set to be rolled out over the coming 12 months, include medicines for diabetes, epilepsy, glaucoma, asthma and Parkinson’s disease.
    • When fully implemented, these changes will affect more than 300 prescription medicines available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Will I save money?

    • The maximum price you pay at the pharmacy for a PBS script (known as the co-payment) is not changing.
    • It’s still A$7.30 for concession card holders and $30 for non-concession card holders.
    • But not everyone will save money from a 60-day prescription because in some cases your pharmacy may already be discounting your medicine.
    • Read more:
      What is the PBS safety net and is it really the best way to cut the cost of medicines?

How should I store my medicine?

    • If you don’t store your medicines correctly at home they can become degraded and not work so well.
    • As a general rule of thumb, never store your medicines in hot rooms or your car (even in winter) and don’t store them in direct sunlight.
    • You can keep the bottle you are using in the cupboard but you need to store the unopened, second bottle in the fridge.

In a nutshell

    • When you next see your doctor, if your condition is stable and your medicine is suitable, you will be provided a 60-day script.
    • Information is also available from the Commonwealth health department and the Consumers Health Forum.

Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia in the 7MM, 2023-2032: Epidemiology, Treatment Trends, Pipeline Activities, Expert Insights - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, August 29, 2023

The "Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Market Insights, Epidemiology and Forecast to 2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Key Points: 
  • The "Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Market Insights, Epidemiology and Forecast to 2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
  • The diagnosed prevalence of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) has been on the rise in the US due to increased awareness and population growth.
  • Updated international diagnostic and clinical guidelines provide evidence-based therapeutic approaches and screening strategies for early identification of FH and homozygous FH.
  • The report offers a comprehensive understanding of homozygous FH epidemiology, treatment trends, pipeline activities, and expert insights.

The World Health Organization Includes the Cardiovascular Polypill Developed by the Spanish National Centre for Cardiovascular Research and Ferrer in its List of Essential Medicines

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 2, 2023

The cardiovascular polypill developed by the Spanish National Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) and Ferrer has been included by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its List of Essential Medicines 1.

Key Points: 
  • The cardiovascular polypill developed by the Spanish National Centre for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC) and Ferrer has been included by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its List of Essential Medicines 1.
  • This cardiovascular polypill includes three active ingredients (acetylsalicylic acid, ramipril and atorvastatin) and has been proven to be effective in preventing cardiovascular events after a heart attack, reducing mortality from cardiovascular causes by 33%.
  • This was evidenced by the SECURE 2 study, with results published in August 2022 in the New England Journal of Medicine 3 (NEJM).
  • As stated in the WHO report , “essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of a population.

Endo Launches First Generic Version of Noxafil® (posaconazole) Injection

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 29, 2023

Concomitant administration of posaconazole with sirolimus increases the sirolimus blood concentrations by approximately 9-fold and can result in sirolimus toxicity.

Key Points: 
  • Concomitant administration of posaconazole with sirolimus increases the sirolimus blood concentrations by approximately 9-fold and can result in sirolimus toxicity.
  • Posaconazole may increase the plasma concentrations of ergot alkaloids (ergotamine and dihydroergotamine) which may lead to ergotism.
  • Reserve azole antifungals, including posaconazole injection, for patients receiving a vinca alkaloid, including vincristine, who have no alternative antifungal treatment options.
  • Posaconazole injection is indicated for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis in adults and pediatric patients 13 years of age and older.

Endo Launches First Generic Version of Noxafil® (posaconazole) Injection

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 29, 2023

Concomitant administration of posaconazole with sirolimus increases the sirolimus blood concentrations by approximately 9-fold and can result in sirolimus toxicity.

Key Points: 
  • Concomitant administration of posaconazole with sirolimus increases the sirolimus blood concentrations by approximately 9-fold and can result in sirolimus toxicity.
  • Posaconazole may increase the plasma concentrations of ergot alkaloids (ergotamine and dihydroergotamine) which may lead to ergotism.
  • Reserve azole antifungals, including posaconazole injection, for patients receiving a vinca alkaloid, including vincristine, who have no alternative antifungal treatment options.
  • Posaconazole injection is indicated for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis in adults and pediatric patients 13 years of age and older.

CMP Pharma, Inc Announces that Atorvaliq®, the First and Only FDA-approved Liquid Suspension of Atorvastatin is Now Available

Retrieved on: 
Friday, June 23, 2023

FARMVILLE, N.C., June 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CMP Pharma, Inc. announced today that Atorvaliq (atorvastatin calcium) Oral Suspension, 20 mg/5 mL, the first and only FDA-approved oral liquid of atorvastatin, is now available.

Key Points: 
  • FARMVILLE, N.C., June 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CMP Pharma, Inc. announced today that Atorvaliq (atorvastatin calcium) Oral Suspension, 20 mg/5 mL, the first and only FDA-approved oral liquid of atorvastatin, is now available.
  • Atorvaliq is a ready-made liquid oral suspension of atorvastatin approved for patients 10 years of age and older.
  • Atorvaliq comes in a pleasant tasting citrus orange-flavored suspension and is available in a 150 mL bottle with a 24-month shelf.
  • The availability of Atorvaliq gives healthcare providers and appropriate patients a convenient, safe, and FDA-approved liquid formulation," said Gerald Sakowski, CEO of CMP Pharma, Inc.
    Atorvaliq (atorvastatin calcium) Oral Suspension is now available.

Prescription drugs' fine print is important – a toxicologist explains how to decode package inserts to take medications safely and increase their effectiveness

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 24, 2023

With approximately 1.3 million emergency department visits in the U.S. caused by adverse drug events each year, patient education is becoming increasingly important.

Key Points: 
  • With approximately 1.3 million emergency department visits in the U.S. caused by adverse drug events each year, patient education is becoming increasingly important.
  • All prescription drugs come with instructions on how to safely and effectively use them.
  • Depending on the medication, there may be several types of information included: the patient package insert, medication guide and instructions for use.

What can I learn from package inserts?

    • An often overlooked part of the package insert is the prescribing information.
    • Though written primarily for health care professionals, it contains a wealth of information regarding the ways in which the medication interacts with the body.
    • If you’d like to follow along, a copy of the prescription information for Lipitor can be found here.

How does the drug work?

    • Pharmacodynamics refers to “what the drug does to the body,” which includes the mechanism of action as well as how other factors like drug concentration influences its effects.
    • First, the liver is the primary site that produces cholesterol in the body and the area the drug is meant to target.
    • And third, the drug increases the number of LDL cholesterol receptors on cell surfaces, ultimately increasing the catabolism, or metabolic breakdown, of LDL cholesterol.

Where does the drug go in my body?

    • The pharmacokinetics of a drug are determined by factors related to the chemical itself and the person taking the medication.
    • For Lipitor, the prescription insert does not specifically say where the drug goes in the body, but it does note that the volume of distribution is 381 liters.
    • On the other hand, chloroquine, an antimalarial drug that enters body fat, has a value of 15,000 liters.

Does the drug cause the effects or its byproducts?

    • Though the therapeutic effects of most drugs come from the chemical compound it’s made of, many break down into active metabolites in the body that also have some relevant biological effects.
    • Some medications are administered in an inactive form called a prodrug that the body converts into metabolites with the desired therapeutic effects.

How long will the drug be in my system?

    • Information about a drug’s half-life is found in the “Excretion” subsection under “Pharmacokinetics.” The half-life for Lipitor is approximately 14 hours.
    • This means that the drug’s effects may last even after the drug itself is out of your system.

Why do I need to take medications with food or at certain times?

    • For Lipitor specifically, the answer to this question can be found in the “Absorption” subsection under “Pharmacokinetics.” Food decreases the rate and extent of Lipitor’s absorption but doesn’t significantly affect LDL cholesterol reduction.
    • The upshot of all of this is written on the drug label on the outside of the package: Lipitor can be taken with or without food.

Why does my doctor ask about other drugs I’m taking?

    • For instance, two drugs may rely on the same enzyme system in the body to break them down.
    • Taking them at the same time can ultimately lead to higher-than-anticipated levels of either or both drugs in the body.