Diplomat to distribute Otezla® (apremilast), newly approved medication for psoriatic arthritis
FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat has announced that it is one of a select group of specialty pharmacies contracted by Celgene to distribute Otezla® (apremilast), a new medication for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. Otezla® is an oral small-molecule inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) specific for cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Otezla® was approved by the FDA on March 21, 2014, and is available in 10 mg, 20 mg and 30 mg tablets. Diplomat has access to dispense Otezla® immediately.
In clinical trials, Otezla® demonstrated the ability to reduce the signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Otezla® is the first oral therapy available for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, a form of arthritis primarily affecting individuals who have been diagnosed with psoriasis. The primary signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are joint pain, stiffness and swelling of the fingers and tendons. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, approximately 30 percent of people with psoriasis will develop psoriatic arthritis.
Per manufacturer's instructions, patients taking Otezla® should have their weight monitored regularly by a healthcare professional. If clinically significant or unexplained weight loss occurs while taking Otezla®, the patient should be evaluated and discontinuation of therapy should be considered. The most common side effects experienced by patients taking Otezla® were diarrhea, nausea and headache. In clinical trials, patients taking Otezla® were also associated with more reports of depression compared to those patients on placebo.
Otezla® is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to apremilast or to any of the excipients in the formulation. Otezla has not been studied in pregnant women.
Otezla® is manufactured for Celgene Corporation. Full prescribing information for Otezla® is available at the manufacturer's website.
About Celgene Corporation
Celgene Corporation is an integrated global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, focused on the development of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases.
About Diplomat
Diplomat serves patients and physicians in all 50 states as the nation's largest independent specialty pharmacy. Headquartered in Flint, Mich., the company focuses on medication management programs for people with specialized, long-term medical needs, including cancer, HIV, Hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis and many other serious or chronic conditions. Diplomat opened its doors in 1975 as a neighborhood pharmacy with one essential tenet: "Take good care of patients, and the rest falls into place." Today, that tradition continues — always focused on increasing adherence and improving outcomes. Diplomat is accredited by URAC, PCAB, VAWD, ASHP and ACHC. Learn more at diplomat.is.
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