BANNOCKBURN, Ill. (Sept. 6, 2017)—Option Care Enterprises, Inc., a provider of home and alternate treatment site infusion services, has signed an agreement to become a national contracted home infusion provider for RADICAVA (edaravone), an intravenous (IV) infusion treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). RADICAVA, the first ALS treatment option approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in more than 20 years, is now available for patient treatment in the United States.
Sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative condition in which the majority of patients die within two to five years of diagnosis.
“Our specialized clinical knowledge and rigorous care management support—across multiple therapy areas and patient populations—are the backbone of our expertise as the nation’s home infusion therapy leader for neuromuscular disorders like ALS,” said John Rademacher, CEO of Option Care. “This expertise is why we are a trusted partner for innovators bringing to market new therapies like RADICAVA. By partnering with manufacturers, who trust us to provide critical pharmacy services and care management support, we are able to provide unmatched home infusion services to our patients.”
Option Care’s national payer network includes contracts with more than 800 health plans, ensuring broad access to RADICAVA for patients and clinicians who rely on clinical management of home infusion therapy. Additionally, its national network of clinicians includes more than 1,800 nurses specially trained in care coordination and customized clinical management of complex conditions, including ALS.
Approved by the FDA in May 2017, RADICAVA is marketed and distributed by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc.
Currently, about 12,000 to 15,000 Americans have ALS, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ALS attacks and kills the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control the voluntary muscles and produce movements such as chewing, walking, breathing and talking. ALS is incurable, and over time, the muscles get weaker and become paralyzed.
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