CVS Caremark, Generation Health outline target medications for pharmacogenomics partnership

CVS Caremark and Generation Health announced 13 drug therapies that will be included in the initial offering of their integrated Genetic Benefit Management service.

The companies, which announced their alliance in November, said they are offering the industry’s first Best Test Genetics Network, which coordinates pharmacogenomics testing for members of CVS Caremark’s network.

Generation Health, headquartered in Upper Saddle River, N.J, a company that helps pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies implement genetic testing, will work with CVS Caremark to roll out the program.

The integrated service will be launched for “a select group of CVS Caremark’s PBM clients in the months ahead,” followed by an expansion to all clients in January 2011, the firms said.

“The emerging field of genomics is complex and challenging, and this offering will allow employers to better manage the process for ensuring that their employees are receiving the most effective genetic testing and access to genetic experts, resulting in prescribing tailored to individuals,” said Rick Schatzberg, CEO of Generation Health.

The drugs selected include six drugs dispensed generally through PBM services: azathioprine (Imuran, Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd.); tamoxifen (Nolvadex, AstraZeneca); clopidogrel (Plavix, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi-Aventis); thioguanine (Tabloid, GlaxoSmithKline); carbamazepine (Tegretol, Novartis Pharmaceuticals); and abacavir (Ziagen, GlaxoSmithKline). It also includes seven drugs dispensed through CVS Caremark’s specialty pharmacy business: peginterferon alfa-2a (Pegasys, Genentech USA); ribavirin (Copegus, USP); imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.); nilotinib (Tasigna, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.); dasatinib (Sprycel, Bristol-Myers Squibb); erlotinib (Tarceva, Genentech USA); and lapatinib (Tykerb, GlaxoSmithKline).