Dr. Gordon Vanscoy, Chairman and CEO of PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy and RareMed Solutions, is honored to be headlining the April 2020 cover of Smart Business Magazine. The magazine features an interview that explores his approach to leadership, adaptability, and culture. Vanscoy discusses how these three qualities were vital to evolving the rare segment of the specialty pharmacy industry. The publication is timely as these qualities are essential to the proactive, nimble, and focused approach PANTHERx and RareMed have taken in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Both highly complex operations, PANTHERx and RareMed provide different services to people who are living with rare and devastating conditions. The companies’ cultures, built around clear missions and strong values, have been paramount in enabling Vanscoy and his team to adeptly pilot the companies through change. These cultures did not come about by accident, and they continue to need to be carefully nurtured and institutionalized. Vanscoy and his team encourage associates to embody values that support the fact that, no matter their role, their work ultimately contributes to saving lives.

As the coronavirus pandemic has escalated, it has been culture that has underscored the teams’ sense of responsibility to the patients they serve. This has resulted in uninterrupted dispensing of breakthrough medications, employees proactively taking on flexible schedules, and team members asking leadership what they can do to go beyond the call of duty to support the patients who rely on their services.

Vanscoy’s leadership, his embracing of managerial empowerment, and his passion for rare disease have resulted in two independent, disruptive, agile, savvy, and compassionate companies with strong corporate cultures. The article describes how his philosophies and guidance have created organizations poised to take on anything that comes their way, including lofty internal goals and external challenges.

Read Vanscoy’s cover story in Smart Business Magazine.

Look out for the print edition, available on April 1st.

A lot has changed since PANTHERx released our first public statement nearly a month ago and we have been incredibly busy staying ahead of the curve. In Pennsylvania (home to two of multiple licensed facilities), schools and businesses have been forced to close leaving many reacting and scrambling to survive. In PANTHERx’s case, we don’t have patrons, we have patients; we don’t have a business, we have a vital mission to serve those with rare and devastating disorders without interruption, without compromise. PANTHERx’s thousands and thousands of rare patients rely on us to deliver their life saving medications and the corresponding care and we will not disappoint.

When whisperings of the coronavirus extended beyond China and were forecast to the hit the US, PANTHERx’s emergency preparedness plan was activated. We took our patient responsibility seriously, and began to plan the specifics around COVID-19. As the planning unfolded into reality, it has made all the difference informing our patients proactively (before we received questions), establishing and enforcing staged safety protocols, expanding work from home policies and flexible hours for employees with children home from school, and communicating with our providers, partners, payers and suppliers in a timely manner so that they could focus on their contingency plans and not be concerned about PANTHERx. We have been reassured by our biopharma manufacturers that production and supplies of their breakthrough medications will not be an issue.

Due to the vital nature of our mission, PANTHERx is classified as “essential” and will remain open to service the patients that rely on the medications we dispense and the support services we provide. Thanks to our nimbleness, early planning, and dedicated associates PANTHERx is continuing to serve patients at the level that they have come to expect from our award-winning company. That’s not to say that operations appear “normal” in our facilities—many desks are empty as employees work from home. Once in the facility pharmacy workers adorn protective gloves and facemasks (from our original emergency preparedness plan), and cleaning solutions and hand sanitizer are everywhere for employees to disinfect work surfaces at minimum three times a day. PANTHERx’s flexibility and advanced technology has adapted to keep our associates safe as they service our patients. Advanced planning and committed employees have made a remarkable difference. We can confidently and calmly execute as One PANTHERx reacts to the evolving implications of COVID-19, armed with a comprehensive 5 Phase COVID-19 Plan that accounts for all anticipated scenarios. Now operating on Level 3, PANTHERx is prepared as the coronavirus pandemic develops and new rules/restrictions are put in place.

As the situation unfolds, PANTHERx remains diligent and continues to keep our patients and other constituents informed. You can read our up-to-the-minute plan for uninterrupted service by visiting our home page or by going directly to our COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Updates page.

At PANTHERx we often have the pleasure of getting to know not only our patients but also their families. Parents, children, and siblings can serve as caregivers and support to their loved ones who are living with rare conditions. Sometimes though our RxARECARE^® teams get to know families because these genetic diseases effect multiple members of the family who then share the roles of patient, caregiver, support system, and inspiration.

Dale has been living with Primary Periodic Paralysis (PPP) for over eight decades, but he has not let it slow him down. As a young man, Dale worked around his “weak spells” finding and excelling at jobs that began later in the day, so the morning effects of his PPP had time to wear off. With a zeal for travel, Dale and his wife have driven tens of thousands of miles around the country to visit friends and see new sites.

Now a great-grandfather, Dale is not the only person in his family living with PPP. Dale’s daughter Kim and his grandson Geoff share his diagnosis. Their family is honest about the struggles of growing up and living with familial PPP but they find comradery in their shared experiences.

PANTHERx, the exclusive provider of Dale, Kim, and Geoff’s medication, is proud to serve three generations of their extraordinary family. We provide individualized attention, and comprehensive medication coordination so Dale can plan his next road trip, Kim can focus on her advocacy initiatives, and Geoff can play with his young son.

Over the course of his life Dale has seen the rare disease community and the rare pharmaceutical industry form and grow. He and his family attended the first Primary Periodic Paralysis conference and have found joy in connecting with people who share their disease and in creating awareness around the many forms of PPP.

Dale’s full video and profile can be found on our Primary Periodic Paralysis (PPP) Rare Disorders page.

If you would like to be considered for a PANTHERx Patient Profile please contact Ally Ayoob, Marketing Specialist, at aayoob@pantherxrare.com.

The leadership at PANTHERx Rare has been closely monitoring the ongoing developments related to the concerns arising from the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Nothing is more important to us than insuring the uninterrupted care of our patients afflicted with rare and devastating disorders. As this possible pandemic is a fast evolving and dynamic event, we are actively putting contingencies in place to ensure the seamless treatment to our patients. To that end, we are finishing a comprehensive plan that includes both internal and external measures. Internally, we will service our patients with white-glove care while fostering a workplace environment designed to limit further spread of the contagion and protect our associates. These efforts include possible work from home options, restrictions for those exposed to the virus and protection for those working at our facilities. Additionally, all of our stakeholders (manufacturers, suppliers, shippers and payers) will be contacted by a member of our team to discuss how any disruptions in their individual operations could impact our patients. As we gather that additional information we will continue to build and execute appropriate contingency protocols and provide detailed updates as necessary.

PANTHERx Rare Chairman & CEO, Dr. Gordon Vanscoy, shares his experiences identifying opportunities, building businesses, and advancing the rare pharmacy industry on the podcast Going Deep with Aaron Watson.

Listen to learn more about the origins of PANTHERx Rare, how we are helping foster solutions for people living with rare diseases, and the astounding rate of growth of our company. Dr. Vanscoy also shares details about his background and the beginnings of his career in pharmacy that shaped the culture of PANTHERx Rare.

Going Deep with Aaron Watson

Listen: Episode 413 Building a Billion Dollar Company Treating Rare Diseases with Dr. Gordon Vanscoy

Also available on iTunes and Stitcher.

Serving patients with rare, orphan, and devastating conditions is the reason PANTHERx Rare exists. The launch of our new website has created a platform through which we are able to relay our patients’ disease experiences. These stories are meant to illustrate the day to day struggles and the joys of being able to overcome some of the burdens of living with a rare condition.

PANTHERx is pleased to share the first video in our Patient Profile Series, featuring Caitlyn, a young woman living with Hypophosphatasia (HPP). Caitlyn shares what it is like to grow up, navigate college, and plan her future while considering the implications of her diagnosis. Debbie, Caitlyn’s mother, offers a unique perspective on her experiences caring for a child with a rare disease. PANTHERx has been providing care and facilitating medication coordination for Caitlyn since she began taking medication for HPP. Our associates, particularly those in Caitlyn’s RxARECARE® Team, were delighted to meet her, ask questions about her experiences with HPP, and put a face to the name and the family that they have been supporting for many years.

As PANTHERx expands this series, it is our hope that the profile patients find empowerment in sharing their stories. We hope viewers feel inspired and that they are made more knowledgeable about every disease state that PANTHERx supports. For people who are diagnosed with these diseases or who care for someone with a rare disease, we encourage them to find hope in these stories and a connection with the people profiled who, like them, live with a rare disease every day.

PANTHERx looks forward to introducing our community to many more of our extraordinary patients as this series progresses.

Caitlyn’s full video and profile can be found at on our Hypophosphatasia (HPP) Rare Disorders page.

If you would like to be considered for a PANTHERx Patient Profile please contact Ally Ayoob, Marketing Specialist, at aayoob@pantherxrare.com.

PANTHERx is proud to congratulate our Controller, Tim Kelly, on his recognition as a 2019 Pittsburgh Business Times CFO of the Year honoree. Each year, The Pittsburgh Business Times recognizes financial professionals in western Pennsylvania for their outstanding performance as corporate financial stewards. The 2019 honorees represent the diversity of Pittsburgh’s industries and were chosen by an independent panel of judges.

The 2019 CFO of the Year award program will be held at a celebratory reception on November 6th at the Omni William Penn.

Click here to read more about Tim Kelly and his role at PANTHERx.

About PANTHERx Rare
PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, The Rare Disease Specialty Pharmacy®, is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. PANTHERx Rare’s mission is to transform lives by delivering medical breakthroughs, clinical excellence, and access solutions to patients afflicted with rare and devastating conditions. Every day we Define RxARE®, by developing focused solutions, bold innovations, and novel clinical services associated with the life-transforming therapies that we deliver.
PANTHERx was awarded 2018 Specialty Pharmacy of the Year by the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy as well as the American Pharmacy Purchasing Alliance. Zitter Health Insights awarded PANTHERx the Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Award winner for both 2017 and 2018. As a quad-accredited pharmacy, PANTHERx holds accreditations from URAC, VIPPS, ACHC, and CPPA.

PANTHERx is delighted to announce that we are a winner of the 2019 Pittsburgh Business Times Best Places to Work Award.

Over the past year PANTHERx has experienced tremendous growth and change; opening a third location, reimagining our brand, and introducing new leadership to the team. Through all the restructuring, policy enhancements, and planned growth of the business, PANTHERx recognized that we never wanted to lose our unique identity. Instead, PANTHERx strengthened our values, focused on our mission, and created community within our company. Winning this award is a clear indication that our culture is strong and that our employees are happy at work.

“We are One PANTHERx,” explains PANTHERx Chairman & CEO, Dr. Gordon J. Vanscoy. “Although PANTHERx consists of hundreds of hard-working people from multiple locations, we are one company working toward one common goal: improving the health of our rare disease patients. This award validates that our associates not only understand our meaningful mission but have taken it on as their own and are thriving in the environment that PANTHERx has worked so hard to create.”

PANTHERx has always cultivated talent and encouraged growth inside our organization. Employees who are able to explore their interests and develop their careers, who are encouraged to treat colleagues as extended family, and who are proud of the work they do, naturally exude more positivity to colleagues, partners, and patients. PANTHERx takes pride in knowing that our culture benefits our associates and the people we serve.

About Best Places to Work
The Best Places to Work Award gives employees an opportunity to rate and comment about the environments fostered by their companies. After a detailed survey and review process, the companies that receive the highest scores from their employees are recognized as having uniquely positive company cultures. Awards for the 2019 Best Places to Work winners will be distributed on October 17th at a ceremony held by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

About PANTHERx
PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, The Rare Disease Specialty Pharmacy®, is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. PANTHERx Rare’s mission is to transform lives by delivering medical breakthroughs, clinical excellence, and access solutions to patients afflicted with rare and devastating conditions. Every day we Define RxARE®, by developing focused solutions, bold innovations, and novel clinical services associated with the life-transforming therapies that we deliver.

PANTHERx was awarded 2018 Specialty Pharmacy of the Year by the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy as well as the American Pharmacy Purchasing Alliance. Zitter Health Insights awarded PANTHERx the Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Award winner for both 2017 and 2018. As a quad-accredited pharmacy, PANTHERx holds accreditations from URAC, VIPPS, ACHC, and CPPA.

As part of the PANTHERx Specialty Pharmacy Fellowship Program, our 2018-2019 fellows, Olivia Goss, Pharm.D., and Brandon Barry, Pharm.D., conducted research and presented their findings at the 2019 AMCP Conference. As our fellowship year draws to a close, we reflect on the research results of our fellows:

About the Research Projects
Dr. Goss centered her research around analysis of demographic and clinical differences between patients taking valbenazine 40 mg once daily and patients taking valbenazine 80 mg once daily. Valbenazine is a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor indicated for the treatment of tardive dyskinesia (TD) in adult patients. Valbenazine is available in 40 mg and 80 mg capsules, with FDA-labeling recommending patients begin therapy with one 40 mg capsule by mouth daily for one week, then titrate to one 80 mg capsule daily thereafter. However, the labeling also states, “continuation of the 40 mg capsule may be appropriate for some patients.” The definition of that patient population is not provided in the labeling.

A retrospective database analysis was completed on all patients receiving valbenazine between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Data was collected from a single specialty pharmacy and variables of interest included patient demographics, medication profile, prescriber base (specialist vs. generalist), and adherence rates.

Based on this study, it was concluded that the 40 mg daily dose of valbenazine was more commonly utilized in females and patients aged 65 and older. Further research into the differences in each of these cohorts could provide key insights and optimize outcomes for patients living with tardive dyskinesia.
Click here to review Dr. Goss’s research poster:PANTHERx Valbenzine Research Poster

Dr. Barry’s research explored the value of medication specific referral forms and aimed to determine if targeted changes to manufacturer-developed referral forms resulted in fewer discrepancies, prescriber clarifications, and impacted initial turnaround time for specialty medications. The study examined 3 different therapies and utilized 200 randomly selected enrollment forms from each.

It was concluded that there is measurable value in medication specific enrollment forms. Targeted referral form changes can lead to a reduction in the need for clarifications between the specialty pharmacy and the prescriber. The study did not find any meaningful change in the rate of patient consent between manufacturer-developed and drug-specific enrollment forms. Notably, it was discovered that referral form discrepancies had minimal impact on initial medication turnaround times for patients.
Click here to review Dr. Barry’s research poster:PANTHERx Referral Form Research Poster

Last week PANTHERx participated in the 2019 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas, NV, where we met with partners, announced strategic collaborations, unveiled the new PANTHERx brand, and shared insights about the state-of-the-art rare and orphan drugs in the specialty pharmacy industry. We are delighted to have been a part of Asembia for yet another year, especially as this one was particularly exciting for PANTHERx. As always, our patients were on our minds as we attended this summit, and we wanted our partners and peers to be thinking about them as well.

DELIVERxING Hope to Patients with Rare Diseases
During Asembia , PANTHERx Chairman & CEO, Dr. Gordon J. Vanscoy delivered a talk titled DELIVERxING Hope to Patients with Rare Diseases: Improving Orphan/Precision Medicine Channels. His talk was well attended, and Dr. Vanscoy was able to share PANTHERx’s patient-focused mission and explain how PANTHERx is ideally positioned to manage complex treatments and unique patient journeys.
A review of Vanscoy’s speaker session can be read on the Specialty Pharmacy Continuum website: https://www.specialtypharmacycontinuum.com/Online-First/Article/05-19/Prepare-for-Growth-in-Precision-Orphan-Drugs-Expert-Says/54834

Supporting Organizations that Support Our Patients
PANTHERx not only wanted to discuss the importance of putting patients first, we wanted to involve our partners and colleagues in a way that would impact our patients directly. During our “Sweets in the PANTHERx Suite” event on Sunday evening prior to Asembia, PANTHERx gave each of our event attendees the opportunity to help PANTHERx support organizations that support our patients. Attendees could choose to allocate a specified dollar value to either Global Genes, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, or the American Cancer Society, that PANTHERx would donate on their behalf. The result was thousands of dollars in donations from PANTHERx to these deserving support organizations.

We thank Asembia for this meeting platform and for providing us an opportunity to further our mission, create awareness for disease states that we support, and provide hope and support to our patients.