Alimera Sciences Announces ILUVIEN J Code J7313 Is Now Active
ATLANTA, Jan. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Alimera Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALIM) (Alimera), a pharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development and commercialization of prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, today announced that, as of January 1, 2016, the drug code J7313, which was assigned to ILUVIEN® by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, is now active and immediately available. The code, commonly referred to as a "J Code," was added to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, and is expected to ease the billing and reimbursement process for physician practices and their patients receiving ILUVIEN. It has also been confirmed that pricing has been entered into the Part B Average Sales Price consistent with the J Code.
Alimera's lead product, ILUVIEN (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant) 0.19 mg, is a sustained release intravitreal implant approved in the U.S. to treat diabetic macular edema (DME) in patients who have been previously treated with a course of corticosteroids and did not have a clinically significant rise in intraocular pressure.
"The availability of the ILUVIEN J Code J7313 on January 1, 2016 will facilitate product reimbursement for physicians, and we believe will improve treatment accessibility for patients suffering from DME," said Dan Myers, chief executive officer of Alimera. "We anticipate that the incorporation of the J Code into relevant administrative systems in the first half of 2016 will be welcomed by physicians and their staff, enabling physicians to prescribe ILUVIEN with increased confidence."
Physicians and practice administrators requiring further information about reimbursement for ILUVIEN should contact ILUVIEN AccessPlus at 1-844-ILUVIEN (1-844-445-8843) or visit iluvien.com/hcp/accessplus-form.
About ILUVIEN
ILUVIEN (fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal implant) 0.19 mg is a sustained release intravitreal implant approved in the U.S. to treat diabetic macular edema in patients who have been previously treated with a course of corticosteroids and did not have a clinically significant rise in intraocular pressure. Each ILUVIEN implant is designed to release submicrogram levels of fluocinolone acetonide, a corticosteroid, for 36 months.
Corticosteroids have a history of effective use in treating ocular disease inflammation. ILUVIEN is injected in the back of the patient's eye with an applicator that employs a 25-gauge needle, which allows for a self-sealing wound. In the FAME Study, a phase 3 clinical study of ILUVIEN, the primary endpoint of improvement in vision of 15 letters or more was demonstrated at 24 months and the most frequently reported adverse drug reactions included cataract development and increased ocular pressure.
ILUVIEN Important Safety Information
Contraindications
- ILUVIEN is contraindicated in patients with active or suspected ocular or periocular infections including most viral disease of the cornea and conjunctiva, including active epithelial herpes simplex keratitis (dendritic keratitis), vaccinia, varicella, mycobacterial infections and fungal diseases.
- ILUVIEN is contraindicated in patients with glaucoma, who have cup to disc ratios of greater than 0.8.
- ILUVIEN is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any components of this product.
Warnings and Precautions
- Intravitreal injections have been associated with endophthalmitis, eye inflammation, increased intraocular pressure, and retinal detachments. Patients should be monitored following the injection.
- Use of corticosteroids may produce posterior subcapsular cataracts, increased intraocular pressure, glaucoma, and may enhance the establishment of secondary ocular infections due to bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Corticosteroids are not recommended to be used in patients with a history of ocular herpes simplex because of the potential for reactivation of the viral infection.
- Patients in whom the posterior capsule of the lens is absent or has a tear are at risk of implant migration into the anterior chamber.
Adverse Reactions
- In controlled studies, the most common adverse reactions reported were cataract development (ILUVIEN 82%; sham 50%) and intraocular pressure elevation of greater than 10 mmHg (ILUVIEN 34%; sham 10%).
Patients are advised to have follow-up eye examinations at appropriate intervals following treatment with ILUVIEN. For full prescribing information, log onto www.ILUVIEN.com.
To report suspected adverse reactions, contact Alimera Sciences, Inc. at 1-844-445-8843 or FDA at 1800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
About Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
DME, the primary cause of vision loss associated with diabetic retinopathy, is a disease affecting the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision. When the blood vessel leakage associated with diabetic retinopathy results in swelling of the macula, the condition is called DME. The onset of DME is painless and may go unreported by the patient until it manifests with the blurring of central vision or acute vision loss. The severity of this blurring may range from mild to profound loss of vision. The Wisconsin Epidemiologic Study of Diabetic Retinopathy found that over a 10-year period approximately 19% of people with diabetes included in the study were diagnosed with DME. All people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are at risk of developing DME. As the population of people with diabetes increases, Alimera expects the annual incidence of diagnosed DME to increase, as well.
About Alimera Sciences, Inc.
Alimera Sciences, Inc., headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, is a pharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development and commercialization of prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. Alimera's European operations are conducted by its subsidiary, Alimera Sciences Limited, based in the United Kingdom.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding, regarding, among other things, the expected benefits of the publication of a J Code for ILUVIEN on the billing and reimbursement process for physicians and the accessibility of ILUVIEN to patients, and the annual incidence of DME. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in its forward-looking statements. Meaningful factors which could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the acceptance by physicians of ILUVIEN for the treatment of DME regardless of the J Code, any delay of the incorporation of the J Code into insurance programs, the ability of physician practices to use the J-Code, as well as other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of Alimera's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2015, which are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition to the risks described above and in Alimera's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the SEC, other unknown or unpredictable factors also could affect Alimera's results. There can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by Alimera will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Alimera. Therefore, no assurance can be given that the outcomes stated in such forward-looking statements and estimates will be achieved.
All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. Alimera cautions investors not to rely too heavily on the forward-looking statements Alimera makes or that are made on its behalf. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release (unless another date is indicated). Alimera undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to publicly update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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SOURCE Alimera Sciences, Inc.
