Amid tough respiratory competition, AstraZeneca inks Symbicort outcomes-based deals

It's no secret that respiratory drugs make up a crowded field, and forthcoming generics will make the competition tougher still. AstraZeneca's Symbicort is no stranger to the fallout, either, what with payers pressing prices and new rivals grabbing share. But AstraZeneca is fighting back with new outcomes-based deals with regional insurers that could expand Symbicort's sales at least among their members. Under agreements with Harvard Pilgrim in New England and Highmark in Pennsylvania, AstraZeneca will provide rebates or better pricing if Symbicort doesn't deliver real-world benefits up to par with those in clinical trials. Highmark covers about 5 million members in Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, while Harvard Pilgrim among the most active insurers in value-based deals covers about 3 million lives in New England and beyond.