Pfizer Inc.'s Pristiq Sees Private Plan Formulary Access Similar to Eli Lilly and Company's Cymbalta

NASHVILLE, Tenn. & GLEN ROCK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- HealthLeaders-InterStudy and Fingertip Formulary find that similar percentages of private plan lives have formulary access to Pfizer’s Pristiq and Eli Lily’s Cymbalta. Although fewer plans cover Pfizer’s Pristiq when compared with Eli Lilly’s Cymbalta, Pfizer’s targeted marketing campaign to large health plan accounts resulted in nearly as many private plan beneficiaries having access to both Pristiq and Cymbalta according to a new report entitled Formulary Advantages in Psychiatric Drugs.

According to the report, larger-than-average plans are more likely to offer Pristiq and Cymbalta on formulary and as an advantaged tier benefit. Similar percentages of private plan beneficiaries face formulary restrictions on reimbursement of both Cymbalta and Pristiq.

“These data suggest that reimbursement status is not a major barrier to patient access to Pristiq,” said HealthLeaders-InterStudy Analyst Leigh Compton, an author of the report. “As such, marketers should focus their efforts on highlighting the advantageous attributes of Pristiq to physicians and patients.”

However on the public plan side Pristiq faces some challenges. After the launch of generic venlafaxine XR, an additional quarter of Medicare lives began facing prior authorization restrictions on reimbursement of Pristiq, further limiting its use among the elderly with depression, according to the report.

About Fingertip Formulary

Fingertip Formulary (www.FingertipFormulary.com), the leading provider of access to and insight into formulary data in the United States, offers comprehensive formulary data covering commercial, Medicaid, Medicare and PBM plans, among others. Fingertip Formulary is a Decision Resources, Inc. company.

The new Formulary Forum report is based on a survey of 50 U.S. pharmacy directors who control formularies at national, regional and state-level managed care organizations, as well as nationwide formulary data from Fingertip Formulary. To view an abstract of this report please click here.

About HealthLeaders-InterStudy

HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is the authoritative source for managed care data, analysis and news. For more information, please visit www.HL-ISY.com.

About Decision Resources Group

Decision Resources Group is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Both HealthLeaders-InterStudy and Fingertip Formulary are Decision Resources, Inc. companies. Please visit Decision Resources Group at www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

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Contact:

HealthLeaders-InterStudyKristi Guillemette, 781-993-2618kguillemette@hl-isy.comorDecision Resources GroupElizabeth Marshall, 781-993-2563emarshall@dresources.com

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