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Pharma Tech

Moderna hitches a ride with Uber to boost vaccine confidence—and, of course, drive access

Moderna | January 15, 2021

COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna is looking for a lift from Uber—a collaboration lift, that is. The two companies say they're planning to work together to promote vaccine confidence and ease access to coronavirus shots.

Early ideas include promoting vaccine safety on the Uber network and through in-app messages as well as incorporating Uber rides into the vaccination scheduling process.

While those details are still in the works, the appeal of Uber as a partner for Moderna is not only its nationwide network and connections but also the diversity of its 1.2 million drivers.

“Uber has broad access across the United States—its ride-sharing platform is used by Americans everywhere, and its drivers represent a wide variety of the population," Michael Mullette, Moderna's vice president of commercial operations in North America, said. "There’s a great opportunity for us to think about educating the population about how do you get immunized … but also how do you access credible information about vaccines."

The deal comes amid a U.S. vaccine rollout hobbled by confusion, lack of centralized government planning and distribution headaches. Even when vaccines are readily available and easy to access, fear is hampering uptake, thanks to the unprecedented speed of vaccine development, historical abuse of the Black community in biomedical research and more generalized anti-vaxxer sentiment.

Last month, Uber pledged 10 million free or discounted rides for underserved populations who may have difficulty with transportation to get vaccines. The company is partnering with the National Urban League, the Morehouse School of Medicine and the National Action Network to focus on communities of color where people have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

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Aeris: Benchtop XRD for pharmaceutical solid form analysis

Is solid form characterization critical in your line of work, but you lack expertise in X-ray diffraction (XRD)? Do you need an efficient tool to support you with lead optimization? Do you need an easy way to validate the stability of your solid form following processing?

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Aeris: Benchtop XRD for pharmaceutical solid form analysis

Is solid form characterization critical in your line of work, but you lack expertise in X-ray diffraction (XRD)? Do you need an efficient tool to support you with lead optimization? Do you need an easy way to validate the stability of your solid form following processing?

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PHARMACY MARKET

Cytel continues expansion of market access and medical communication capabilities with the acquisition of co.faktor

businesswire | September 28, 2023

Cytel Inc., provider of quantitative insights and health data analytics to leaders in the life sciences, has acquired the Berlin-based company co.faktor GmbH with its dedicated healthcare consultancy services co.value® (market access), co.medical® (medical communications), and co.patient® (patient relations) concentrations. As a result, Cytel’s services for biopharma commercialization will gain new and complementary specialist consultancy capabilities and localized expertise for successful market access in Germany, a first wave launch country. The acquisition marks another milestone in Cytel’s strategic growth in Europe, and follows the recent acquisition of stève consultants, specialists in market access, real-world evidence (RWE), and health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) in France. Cytel now boasts a 200-person-strong access consultancy team, making it one of the only providers that offers the full fleet of advisory services, from clinical trial and real-world data and evidence analytics to global market access and local in-country Health Technology Assessment (HTA) support. Cytel is now primed to provide global drug sponsors and their affiliate teams with advanced analytical support across the lifecycle through commercialization. Achieving favorable market access in today’s global healthcare industry is challenging and requires deep knowledge of EU national regulations. Cytel has long excelled at using proven quantitative techniques to help pharmaceutical manufacturers successfully enter new markets. To continue supporting global and local clients on their road to commercial success, Cytel has invested heavily in specialized, national capabilities in key launch markets with the recent acquisitions of stève consultants in June 2023 and SDS Life Sciences in 2022. Cytel’s most recent acquisition of the co.faktor businesses continues this investment, augmenting and extending localized regulatory support through product launch and commercialization. “The co.faktor team is recognized as a highly specialized biopharma services provider, with a broad spectrum of services including HTA, pricing, medical communication, patient relations, and strategic consultancy in Germany. It’s no surprise they’ve shaped the field there,” said Radek Wasiak, General Manager, Real-World & Advanced Analytics at Cytel. “We look forward to welcoming them to Cytel, where they will now be supported by the full depth and breadth of our unparalleled biometrics, RWE, HEOR, and market access advisory talent.” “Cytel and co.faktor have clear synergies, particularly when it comes to Cytel’s data know-how and co.faktor’s understanding of Germany’s uniquely complex market access and HTA requirements,” said Dr. Marc Esser, CEO, co.faktor. “By combining our deep expertise in the German HTA process with Cytel’s unique capabilities, we will be able to help our clients survive the upcoming European Health Technology Assessment (EU-HTA), a key challenge for all stakeholders in the European pharma market.” About Cytel Cytel is the largest provider of statistical software and advanced analytics for clinical trial design and execution. For over thirty-five years, Cytel’s scientific rigor and operational excellence have enabled biotech and pharmaceutical companies to navigate uncertainty, prove value and make confident, evidence-based decisions. Its experts deliver industry-leading software, data-driven analytics, real-world evidence, and strategic consulting. Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, Cytel has more than 1,900 resources across North America, Europe, and Asia. About co.faktor For more than ten years, Berlin-based co.faktor GmbH has been providing specialized consulting services with its dedicated healthcare consultancy services co.value® (market access), co.medical® (medical communications), and co.patient® (patient relations) concentrations. By synergistically combining the expertise in these areas, co.faktor offers efficient launch support with consistent messaging to all relevant stakeholders.

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Pharmacy Market

PAN-TB Collaboration Announces the Start of a Phase 2 Clinical Trial to Evaluate Two Novel Tuberculosis Treatment Regimens

PRNewswire | August 10, 2023

The Project to Accelerate New Treatments for Tuberculosis (PAN-TB) collaboration announced today the start of a phase 2b/c clinical trial, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI). The trial will evaluate whether novel regimens that combine registered products and new chemical entities have the potential to effectively treat drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB) and inform the development of a "pan-TB" regimen capable of treating all forms of active pulmonary TB. The regimens under evaluation are designed to explore shorter treatment durations compared to existing drug regimens, without the need for accompanying drug-resistance testing for individuals. The goal is to identify a candidate regimen suitable for phase 3 development. Trial sites are being hosted in countries with a high burden of TB. The trial has started in South Africa with the first participant screened in the last week of July. Subsequent trial sites are expected to launch in the Philippines in August and in Peru in 2024, pending national approvals. The collaboration is evaluating two novel drug regimens comprising five antibacterial agents—bedaquiline, delamanid, pretomanid, quabodepistat (formerly known as OPC-167832), and sutezolid DBQS – delamanid, bedaquiline, quabodepistat and sutezolid PBQS – pretomanid, bedaquiline, quabodepistat and sutezolid The trial employs an innovative design that consists of two stages to assess the efficacy of the regimens and evaluate the potential to shorten treatment duration. In the initial stage, the trial will enroll approximately 129 participants. The safety, tolerability, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of the complete DBQS and PBQS regimens, with each drug administered daily for four months (17 weeks), will be evaluated in participants 18 to 65 years old with DS pulmonary TB. Approximately 43 participants will receive the six-month (26 weeks) standard-of-care treatment for DS-TB1 in the countries where trial sites are located.2 If successful, the second stage will enroll approximately 400 participants to test the selected regimen at shorter treatment durations, ranging from two to four months, across five arms. An additional 30-40 participants will be enrolled in the standard-of-care arm for the second stage of this trial. To support participants during their treatment, the trial integrates a Stop Treatment and Watch (STrAW) Concilium, a group made up of expert clinical consultants that will evaluate trial participants' treatment response, blinded to the specific regimen they receive, and advise trial investigators on patient management. The trial will utilize the best available tools including regular engagement with treatment support workers, direct observation of therapy with video technology, and medication reminder monitors. A novel Biomarkers Strategy will inform promising new biomarkers with the aim of enabling faster access to data to monitor treatment outcomes for future trials. The need for novel TB treatment regimens Despite the introduction of new medicines in recent years, treatment remains a long, complex, and demanding process for people diagnosed with TB and can place significant costs on households and the health system. The most used drug regimen for the treatment of DS-TB requires people to take multiple drugs for at least six months, often with routine monitoring. TB treatment can place unmanageable financial strain on individuals and their households. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that nearly half of TB-affected households face catastrophic total costs associated with treatment, including costs of travel to clinics, loss of income during treatment, and more, fueling cycles of poverty in vulnerable communities. Further, accurate, rapid drug resistance testing is essential for early diagnosis of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB, but access to testing can be limited due to high costs, technical challenges, and other barriers. Emilio Emini, PhD, CEO, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, said: "The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is committed to developing biomedical interventions that address global health concerns for those in the greatest need. The team at the Gates MRI looks forward to working with our partners across the PAN-TB collaboration, to evaluate the potential of these novel TB treatment regimens, in the hope that it may offer a potentially easier pathway for all people diagnosed with pulmonary TB by offering well-tolerated, shorter and simpler treatment options." Masanori Kawasaki, Global TB Project Leader, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, said: "We are immensely proud to be part of this remarkable, trailblazing, collaboration which is now launching a clinical trial for a new, and shorter, pan-TB treatment regimen. We are excited too to be working closely with key partners to bring new treatment options to patients. Otsuka is dedicated to life-saving research and development as demonstrated by our sustained hard work and investment in developing a new chemical entity called quabodepistat. We are most grateful to the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute for bringing together leaders in the field of TB, towards the goal of ending TB for good." Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, MD, PhD, Global Head of Global Public Health R&D, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, said: "Our medicine for multidrug-resistant TB has reshaped TB treatment regimens over the past decade, but more must be done to develop the even shorter, simpler regimens needed to treat all forms of the disease and end TB once and for all. Today's milestone is another step in this direction, and we look forward to seeing the results of this important study." Mel Spigelman, MD, President and CEO of TB Alliance, said: "Sincere thanks and congratulations to all who have made this innovative and exciting new journey a reality. Bringing revolutionary, highly impactful new treatments to all TB patients around the world is a goal that deserves and requires all our concerted dedicated efforts." About the Project to Accelerate New Treatments for Tuberculosis The Project to Accelerate New Treatments for Tuberculosis (PAN-TB) is a first-of-its-kind collaboration among philanthropic, non-profit and private sectors that aims to accelerate the development of an investigational drug regimen capable of treating all forms of tuberculosis. The PAN-TB collaboration leverages members' collective assets, resources and scientific expertise to identify and evaluate new drug regimens with an acceptable safety profile, that have the potential to treat both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB and are well-tolerated, shorter in duration and simpler to use than existing options. The collaboration focuses on advancing research through phase 2 clinical efficacy studies to identify promising regimens for further development. The PAN-TB collaboration plans to work closely and transparently with the European Regimen Accelerator for Tuberculosis (ERA4TB), which was launched in January 2020. New molecular entities identified by ERA4TB that show promise in initial human studies could later be incorporated into the PAN-TB collaboration's later-stage, clinical research. Several organizations, including Evotec, GSK, TB Alliance and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, are members of both projects, which will help to ensure coordination across collaborations toward the common goal of advancing TB drug and regimen development. The members of the PAN-TB collaboration are Evotec, GSK, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., based in Japan, TB Alliance, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Additional members may be announced in the future. About Evotec SE Evotec is a life science company with a unique business model that delivers on its mission to discover and develop highly effective therapeutics and make them available to the patients. The Company's multimodality platform comprises a unique combination of innovative technologies, data and science for the discovery, development, and production of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products. Evotec leverages this "Data-driven R&D Autobahn to Cures" for proprietary projects and within a network of partners including all Top 20 Pharma and over 800 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, as well as other healthcare stakeholders. Evotec has strategic activities in a broad range of currently underserved therapeutic areas, including e.g., neurology, oncology, as well as metabolic and infectious diseases. Within these areas of expertise, Evotec aims to create the world-leading co-owned pipeline for innovative therapeutics and has to-date established a portfolio of more than 200 proprietary and co-owned R&D projects from early discovery to clinical development. Evotec operates globally with more than 4,900 highly qualified people.

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Pharmacy Market

TailorMed Joins Forces with TwelveStone Health Partners to Improve Medication Access and Affordability

Businesswire | August 24, 2023

TailorMed, a leading technology company offering the nation’s largest network of patients, providers, pharmacies, life science companies, and other partners dedicated to improving healthcare affordability, today announced it is collaborating with TwelveStone Health Partners. TwelveStone, which provides comprehensive chronic care medication services, has confidently invested in TailorMed’s best-in-class solutions to remove financial barriers for patients with high-cost conditions. The cost of specialty drugs, including infused therapies, is rising rapidly. In fact, the average annual cost for one specialty medication is estimated to be at least $84,000. These staggering expenses often lead to medication nonadherence and prescription abandonment. Financial assistance programs help eligible patients pay for treatment, yet these resources remain underutilized. TailorMed offers a comprehensive solution by empowering providers and pharmacies to proactively flag patients in need. The technology then matches patients with relevant funding opportunities, drawing on more than 6,000 resources ranging from drug manufacturer copay assistance to foundation grants. TwelveStone Health Partners will use the company’s enterprise platform to improve access to critical therapies for patients who could not otherwise afford them. “This partnership enhances our commitment to expanding patient access and addressing affordability to ensure that those who need them most can receive innovative medications in a warm, caring, patient-centric care environment,” said Shane Reeves, chief executive officer, TwelveStone Health Partners. “TailorMed’s technology provides real value to our patients who deserve a higher level of care and support.” The process of connecting patients with financial assistance has historically been an arduous and highly manual process. The TailorMed platform will significantly reduce the administrative burden for TwelveStone Health Partners, allowing staff to efficiently address patients’ financial needs. The company’s Pharmacy solution will also enable staff to streamline the management and tracking of free and replacement drug orders. “We’re very proud to collaborate with leading specialty pharmacies and infusion centers such as TwelveStone Health Partners as our network continues to expand,” said Bryan Bloom, head of enterprise sales at TailorMed. “By leveraging our solutions to tackle affordability, TwelveStone will be better equipped to provide superior patient experiences, while ensuring no one falls through the cracks due to costs.” Srulik Dvorsky, co-founder and chief executive officer at TailorMed, also shared: “We are especially pleased to add TwelveStone Health Partners to our growing list of infusion center clients. As a company committed to innovating at scale, we want to do everything we can to ensure our partners can also deliver care at scale.” About TailorMed TailorMed offers the nation’s largest network of patients, providers, pharmacies, partners, and life science companies focused on ensuring all patients across all medical conditions can afford treatment. Driven by TailorMed's best-in-class platform, network constituents can proactively identify, match, and enroll patients in financial assistance programs to deliver a world-class patient financial experience while reducing the cost of care delivery and increasing revenues. TailorMed’s secure, web-based financial assistance solutions are deployed across more than 1,000 sites of care, including Providence Health, UnityPoint Health, Yale-New Haven Health, and Advocate Aurora Health. About TwelveStone Health Partners TwelveStone Health Partners incorporates the objective of glorifying God into its mission by delivering a higher level of service to partners and patients. As an organization, TwelveStone supports the transition from acute to post-acute care environments and the transition from sickness to health. Founded in 2016 TwelveStone is the third iteration of pharmacy organizations founded by Shane Reeves and the Reeves family. Today TwelveStone is rapidly expanding across the Southeast anchored by spa-like infusion centers conveniently located in suburban communities supported by additional services including package medications, home infusion, enteral and injections. TwelveStone is dedicated to providing the highest level of care to those with chronic, complex conditions in the environment that is most convenient for both the patient and their loved ones.

Read More

PHARMACY MARKET

Cytel continues expansion of market access and medical communication capabilities with the acquisition of co.faktor

businesswire | September 28, 2023

Cytel Inc., provider of quantitative insights and health data analytics to leaders in the life sciences, has acquired the Berlin-based company co.faktor GmbH with its dedicated healthcare consultancy services co.value® (market access), co.medical® (medical communications), and co.patient® (patient relations) concentrations. As a result, Cytel’s services for biopharma commercialization will gain new and complementary specialist consultancy capabilities and localized expertise for successful market access in Germany, a first wave launch country. The acquisition marks another milestone in Cytel’s strategic growth in Europe, and follows the recent acquisition of stève consultants, specialists in market access, real-world evidence (RWE), and health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) in France. Cytel now boasts a 200-person-strong access consultancy team, making it one of the only providers that offers the full fleet of advisory services, from clinical trial and real-world data and evidence analytics to global market access and local in-country Health Technology Assessment (HTA) support. Cytel is now primed to provide global drug sponsors and their affiliate teams with advanced analytical support across the lifecycle through commercialization. Achieving favorable market access in today’s global healthcare industry is challenging and requires deep knowledge of EU national regulations. Cytel has long excelled at using proven quantitative techniques to help pharmaceutical manufacturers successfully enter new markets. To continue supporting global and local clients on their road to commercial success, Cytel has invested heavily in specialized, national capabilities in key launch markets with the recent acquisitions of stève consultants in June 2023 and SDS Life Sciences in 2022. Cytel’s most recent acquisition of the co.faktor businesses continues this investment, augmenting and extending localized regulatory support through product launch and commercialization. “The co.faktor team is recognized as a highly specialized biopharma services provider, with a broad spectrum of services including HTA, pricing, medical communication, patient relations, and strategic consultancy in Germany. It’s no surprise they’ve shaped the field there,” said Radek Wasiak, General Manager, Real-World & Advanced Analytics at Cytel. “We look forward to welcoming them to Cytel, where they will now be supported by the full depth and breadth of our unparalleled biometrics, RWE, HEOR, and market access advisory talent.” “Cytel and co.faktor have clear synergies, particularly when it comes to Cytel’s data know-how and co.faktor’s understanding of Germany’s uniquely complex market access and HTA requirements,” said Dr. Marc Esser, CEO, co.faktor. “By combining our deep expertise in the German HTA process with Cytel’s unique capabilities, we will be able to help our clients survive the upcoming European Health Technology Assessment (EU-HTA), a key challenge for all stakeholders in the European pharma market.” About Cytel Cytel is the largest provider of statistical software and advanced analytics for clinical trial design and execution. For over thirty-five years, Cytel’s scientific rigor and operational excellence have enabled biotech and pharmaceutical companies to navigate uncertainty, prove value and make confident, evidence-based decisions. Its experts deliver industry-leading software, data-driven analytics, real-world evidence, and strategic consulting. Headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, Cytel has more than 1,900 resources across North America, Europe, and Asia. About co.faktor For more than ten years, Berlin-based co.faktor GmbH has been providing specialized consulting services with its dedicated healthcare consultancy services co.value® (market access), co.medical® (medical communications), and co.patient® (patient relations) concentrations. By synergistically combining the expertise in these areas, co.faktor offers efficient launch support with consistent messaging to all relevant stakeholders.

Read More

Pharmacy Market

PAN-TB Collaboration Announces the Start of a Phase 2 Clinical Trial to Evaluate Two Novel Tuberculosis Treatment Regimens

PRNewswire | August 10, 2023

The Project to Accelerate New Treatments for Tuberculosis (PAN-TB) collaboration announced today the start of a phase 2b/c clinical trial, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI). The trial will evaluate whether novel regimens that combine registered products and new chemical entities have the potential to effectively treat drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB) and inform the development of a "pan-TB" regimen capable of treating all forms of active pulmonary TB. The regimens under evaluation are designed to explore shorter treatment durations compared to existing drug regimens, without the need for accompanying drug-resistance testing for individuals. The goal is to identify a candidate regimen suitable for phase 3 development. Trial sites are being hosted in countries with a high burden of TB. The trial has started in South Africa with the first participant screened in the last week of July. Subsequent trial sites are expected to launch in the Philippines in August and in Peru in 2024, pending national approvals. The collaboration is evaluating two novel drug regimens comprising five antibacterial agents—bedaquiline, delamanid, pretomanid, quabodepistat (formerly known as OPC-167832), and sutezolid DBQS – delamanid, bedaquiline, quabodepistat and sutezolid PBQS – pretomanid, bedaquiline, quabodepistat and sutezolid The trial employs an innovative design that consists of two stages to assess the efficacy of the regimens and evaluate the potential to shorten treatment duration. In the initial stage, the trial will enroll approximately 129 participants. The safety, tolerability, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of the complete DBQS and PBQS regimens, with each drug administered daily for four months (17 weeks), will be evaluated in participants 18 to 65 years old with DS pulmonary TB. Approximately 43 participants will receive the six-month (26 weeks) standard-of-care treatment for DS-TB1 in the countries where trial sites are located.2 If successful, the second stage will enroll approximately 400 participants to test the selected regimen at shorter treatment durations, ranging from two to four months, across five arms. An additional 30-40 participants will be enrolled in the standard-of-care arm for the second stage of this trial. To support participants during their treatment, the trial integrates a Stop Treatment and Watch (STrAW) Concilium, a group made up of expert clinical consultants that will evaluate trial participants' treatment response, blinded to the specific regimen they receive, and advise trial investigators on patient management. The trial will utilize the best available tools including regular engagement with treatment support workers, direct observation of therapy with video technology, and medication reminder monitors. A novel Biomarkers Strategy will inform promising new biomarkers with the aim of enabling faster access to data to monitor treatment outcomes for future trials. The need for novel TB treatment regimens Despite the introduction of new medicines in recent years, treatment remains a long, complex, and demanding process for people diagnosed with TB and can place significant costs on households and the health system. The most used drug regimen for the treatment of DS-TB requires people to take multiple drugs for at least six months, often with routine monitoring. TB treatment can place unmanageable financial strain on individuals and their households. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that nearly half of TB-affected households face catastrophic total costs associated with treatment, including costs of travel to clinics, loss of income during treatment, and more, fueling cycles of poverty in vulnerable communities. Further, accurate, rapid drug resistance testing is essential for early diagnosis of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB, but access to testing can be limited due to high costs, technical challenges, and other barriers. Emilio Emini, PhD, CEO, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, said: "The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is committed to developing biomedical interventions that address global health concerns for those in the greatest need. The team at the Gates MRI looks forward to working with our partners across the PAN-TB collaboration, to evaluate the potential of these novel TB treatment regimens, in the hope that it may offer a potentially easier pathway for all people diagnosed with pulmonary TB by offering well-tolerated, shorter and simpler treatment options." Masanori Kawasaki, Global TB Project Leader, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, said: "We are immensely proud to be part of this remarkable, trailblazing, collaboration which is now launching a clinical trial for a new, and shorter, pan-TB treatment regimen. We are excited too to be working closely with key partners to bring new treatment options to patients. Otsuka is dedicated to life-saving research and development as demonstrated by our sustained hard work and investment in developing a new chemical entity called quabodepistat. We are most grateful to the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute for bringing together leaders in the field of TB, towards the goal of ending TB for good." Ruxandra Draghia-Akli, MD, PhD, Global Head of Global Public Health R&D, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, said: "Our medicine for multidrug-resistant TB has reshaped TB treatment regimens over the past decade, but more must be done to develop the even shorter, simpler regimens needed to treat all forms of the disease and end TB once and for all. Today's milestone is another step in this direction, and we look forward to seeing the results of this important study." Mel Spigelman, MD, President and CEO of TB Alliance, said: "Sincere thanks and congratulations to all who have made this innovative and exciting new journey a reality. Bringing revolutionary, highly impactful new treatments to all TB patients around the world is a goal that deserves and requires all our concerted dedicated efforts." About the Project to Accelerate New Treatments for Tuberculosis The Project to Accelerate New Treatments for Tuberculosis (PAN-TB) is a first-of-its-kind collaboration among philanthropic, non-profit and private sectors that aims to accelerate the development of an investigational drug regimen capable of treating all forms of tuberculosis. The PAN-TB collaboration leverages members' collective assets, resources and scientific expertise to identify and evaluate new drug regimens with an acceptable safety profile, that have the potential to treat both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB and are well-tolerated, shorter in duration and simpler to use than existing options. The collaboration focuses on advancing research through phase 2 clinical efficacy studies to identify promising regimens for further development. The PAN-TB collaboration plans to work closely and transparently with the European Regimen Accelerator for Tuberculosis (ERA4TB), which was launched in January 2020. New molecular entities identified by ERA4TB that show promise in initial human studies could later be incorporated into the PAN-TB collaboration's later-stage, clinical research. Several organizations, including Evotec, GSK, TB Alliance and Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, are members of both projects, which will help to ensure coordination across collaborations toward the common goal of advancing TB drug and regimen development. The members of the PAN-TB collaboration are Evotec, GSK, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., based in Japan, TB Alliance, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Additional members may be announced in the future. About Evotec SE Evotec is a life science company with a unique business model that delivers on its mission to discover and develop highly effective therapeutics and make them available to the patients. The Company's multimodality platform comprises a unique combination of innovative technologies, data and science for the discovery, development, and production of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products. Evotec leverages this "Data-driven R&D Autobahn to Cures" for proprietary projects and within a network of partners including all Top 20 Pharma and over 800 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, as well as other healthcare stakeholders. Evotec has strategic activities in a broad range of currently underserved therapeutic areas, including e.g., neurology, oncology, as well as metabolic and infectious diseases. Within these areas of expertise, Evotec aims to create the world-leading co-owned pipeline for innovative therapeutics and has to-date established a portfolio of more than 200 proprietary and co-owned R&D projects from early discovery to clinical development. Evotec operates globally with more than 4,900 highly qualified people.

Read More

Pharmacy Market

TailorMed Joins Forces with TwelveStone Health Partners to Improve Medication Access and Affordability

Businesswire | August 24, 2023

TailorMed, a leading technology company offering the nation’s largest network of patients, providers, pharmacies, life science companies, and other partners dedicated to improving healthcare affordability, today announced it is collaborating with TwelveStone Health Partners. TwelveStone, which provides comprehensive chronic care medication services, has confidently invested in TailorMed’s best-in-class solutions to remove financial barriers for patients with high-cost conditions. The cost of specialty drugs, including infused therapies, is rising rapidly. In fact, the average annual cost for one specialty medication is estimated to be at least $84,000. These staggering expenses often lead to medication nonadherence and prescription abandonment. Financial assistance programs help eligible patients pay for treatment, yet these resources remain underutilized. TailorMed offers a comprehensive solution by empowering providers and pharmacies to proactively flag patients in need. The technology then matches patients with relevant funding opportunities, drawing on more than 6,000 resources ranging from drug manufacturer copay assistance to foundation grants. TwelveStone Health Partners will use the company’s enterprise platform to improve access to critical therapies for patients who could not otherwise afford them. “This partnership enhances our commitment to expanding patient access and addressing affordability to ensure that those who need them most can receive innovative medications in a warm, caring, patient-centric care environment,” said Shane Reeves, chief executive officer, TwelveStone Health Partners. “TailorMed’s technology provides real value to our patients who deserve a higher level of care and support.” The process of connecting patients with financial assistance has historically been an arduous and highly manual process. The TailorMed platform will significantly reduce the administrative burden for TwelveStone Health Partners, allowing staff to efficiently address patients’ financial needs. The company’s Pharmacy solution will also enable staff to streamline the management and tracking of free and replacement drug orders. “We’re very proud to collaborate with leading specialty pharmacies and infusion centers such as TwelveStone Health Partners as our network continues to expand,” said Bryan Bloom, head of enterprise sales at TailorMed. “By leveraging our solutions to tackle affordability, TwelveStone will be better equipped to provide superior patient experiences, while ensuring no one falls through the cracks due to costs.” Srulik Dvorsky, co-founder and chief executive officer at TailorMed, also shared: “We are especially pleased to add TwelveStone Health Partners to our growing list of infusion center clients. As a company committed to innovating at scale, we want to do everything we can to ensure our partners can also deliver care at scale.” About TailorMed TailorMed offers the nation’s largest network of patients, providers, pharmacies, partners, and life science companies focused on ensuring all patients across all medical conditions can afford treatment. Driven by TailorMed's best-in-class platform, network constituents can proactively identify, match, and enroll patients in financial assistance programs to deliver a world-class patient financial experience while reducing the cost of care delivery and increasing revenues. TailorMed’s secure, web-based financial assistance solutions are deployed across more than 1,000 sites of care, including Providence Health, UnityPoint Health, Yale-New Haven Health, and Advocate Aurora Health. About TwelveStone Health Partners TwelveStone Health Partners incorporates the objective of glorifying God into its mission by delivering a higher level of service to partners and patients. As an organization, TwelveStone supports the transition from acute to post-acute care environments and the transition from sickness to health. Founded in 2016 TwelveStone is the third iteration of pharmacy organizations founded by Shane Reeves and the Reeves family. Today TwelveStone is rapidly expanding across the Southeast anchored by spa-like infusion centers conveniently located in suburban communities supported by additional services including package medications, home infusion, enteral and injections. TwelveStone is dedicated to providing the highest level of care to those with chronic, complex conditions in the environment that is most convenient for both the patient and their loved ones.

Read More

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