New Program Card May Be Used With Pharmacy and Medical Health Plan Benefits
JERSEY CITY, N.J., January 14, 2021 – Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc. (MTPA) today announced upgrades to its out-of-pocket assistance program that aim to provide enhanced support for eligible patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treated with RADICAVA® (edaravone) through more efficient communication and exchange of information, including a new “hybrid” card that can be used to help access appropriate pharmacy and medical co-pay assistance.
“Our modified ‘all-in-one’ out-of-pocket assistance program was designed with our patients in mind, to continue to support appropriate, affordable access to treatment with RADICAVA, for eligible patients,” said Kevin O’Brien, Vice President of Market Access, MTPA. “We changed the program processes for handling pharmacy and medical benefit claims to allow patients to use one card, on-the-spot. In addition, we have modified logistical procedures related to co-pay issues for healthcare providers.”
Through the Searchlight Support® Out-of-Pocket Assistance Program, eligible patients with commercial insurance may be able to pay as little as $0 per infusion by having applicable out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, co-pay and co-insurance for medication and covered up to $20,000 per calendar year.*
For additional information, visit Searchlight Support online or call 1-844-772-4548.
*Assistance is not valid for patients covered, in whole or in part, by government health insurance (i.e., Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration, Department of Defense, or other federal or state assistance programs), and other restrictions may apply. Patients residing in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Michigan and Rhode Island are eligible for assistance for the cost of the drug only and are not eligible for cost support for administration of the medication. Patients may be responsible for any costs associated with RADICAVA and infusion above the maximum annual program benefit.
About RADICAVA® (edaravone) IV
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved RADICAVA® (edaravone) IV on May 5, 2017 as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).1 Edaravone was discovered and developed for ALS by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation (MTPC) and commercialized in the U.S. by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc. MTPC group companies began researching ALS in 2001 through an iterative clinical platform over a 13-year period. In 2015, edaravone IV was approved for use as a treatment for ALS in Japan and South Korea. Marketing authorization was granted in Canada in October 2018 and Switzerland in January 2019.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Before you receive RADICAVA, tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
- have asthma.
- are allergic to other medicines.
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if RADICAVA will harm your unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if RADICAVA passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will receive RADICAVA or breastfeed.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
What are the possible side effects of RADICAVA?
- RADICAVA may cause serious side effects including hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions and sulfite allergic reactions.
- Hypersensitivity reactions have happened in people receiving RADICAVA and can happen after your infusion is finished.
- RADICAVA contains sodium bisulfite, a sulfite that may cause a type of allergic reaction that can be serious and life-threatening. Sodium bisulfite can also cause less severe asthma episodes in certain people. Sulfite sensitivity can happen more often in people who have asthma than in people who do not have asthma.
- Tell your healthcare provider right away or go to the nearest emergency room if you have any of the following symptoms: hives; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; fainting; breathing problems; wheezing; trouble swallowing; dizziness; itching; or an asthma attack (in people with asthma).
- Your healthcare provider will monitor you during treatment to watch for signs and symptoms of all the serious side effects.
The most common side effects of RADICAVA include bruising (contusion), problems walking (gait disturbance), and headache.
These are not all the possible side effects of RADICAVA. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc. at 1-888-292-0058 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
For more information, including full Prescribing Information and Patient Information, please visit www.RADICAVA.com.
About Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc.
Based in Jersey City, N.J., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc. (MTPA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation’s (MTPC) 100 percent owned U.S. holding company, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Holdings America, Inc. It was established by MTPC to commercialize approved pharmaceutical products in North America. For more information, please visit www.mt-pharma-america.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Overview of Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, which was founded in 1678, has its headquarters in Doshomachi, Osaka, which is the birthplace of Japan’s pharmaceutical industry. With business centered on ethical pharmaceuticals, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma is a well-established company with one of the longest histories of pharmaceutical companies in Japan.2 In accordance with the corporate philosophy of “contributing to the healthier lives of people around the world through the creation of pharmaceuticals,” the Company formulated the key concept of Open Up the Future under the Medium-Term Management Plan 2016-2020. Through the discovery of drugs that address unmet medical needs, centered on its priority disease areas — immune-inflammation diseases, diabetes and kidney, central nervous system, and vaccines — Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma will strive to contribute to the health of patients around the world. MTPC is the parent company of MTPA. For more information, go to https://www.mt-pharma.co.jp/e/.
Media inquiries:
Debbie Etchison
908-340-8578
Media_MTPA@mt-pharma-us.com
- RADICAVA® U.S. Prescribing Information. August 2018.
- Research by TOKYO SHOKO RESEARCH, LTD.