This year, the highly respected Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy (JMCP) celebrates its 25th anniversary. To mark this milestone, they are publishing a series of landmark articles documenting the changes to the specialty pharmacy industry since the journal began publishing in 1995. This month the featured pairing highlights the state, growth, and challenges of the specialty pharmacy industry through the eyes of a father and son team.

Dr. Gordon J. Vanscoy, Chairman & CEO of PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, as well RareMed Solutions, contributed the first peer-reviewed article some twenty years ago, describing the emergence, challenges, and forecasted the potential of a new area specialty pharmacy, which was in its infancy. Since that publication in 2000, Dr. Vanscoy contributed to the realization of his predictions and has aided in reinventing specialty, revolutionizing pharmacy, and redefining care with a portfolio of successful biotech/healthcare companies, numerous publications, and significant industry influence. This past year Dr. Vanscoy led PANTHERx Rare into a new realm of specialty pharmacy; rare pharmacy, a step for the industry that was unimagined 20 years ago.

The pharmacy industry has undoubtedly felt the influence of Dr. Vanscoy and PANTHERx Rare as he and the company have raised the bar for quality patient care and advocated for educating the next generation of pharmacy leaders, among them Dr. Vanscoy’s son Gannon, RareMed Solution’s Director of Specialty Markets and a 2019 Pittsburgh Business Times 30 Under 30 Honoree.

In his accompanying article for JMCP, Gannon Vanscoy nods to the title of his father’s publication titling his The Reemergence of Specialty Pharmacy. His case for reemergence is centered around the growth and maturation of the specialty pharmacy industry as well as legislative changes, medical advancements, and a progressive approach by the FDA that has led to the increase in the number of specialty and orphan drugs available for people who have been suffering from unique diseases and desperate for answers and treatment options.

The perspectives of father and son are important as we measure our progress as an industry over the last 20 years while rearticulating our commitment to progress in faster strides than previously imagined. Everyday there are more targeted drugs to approve, more diseases to genetically research, and most importantly more people and more families to care for with highly advanced medicines and coordinated services.

For the Vanscoys’ the specialty pharmacy industry and the rare pharmacy subspecialty have always been uniquely challenging and a profoundly rewarding, but now as a “family business” it has taken on even greater personal significance. “In my life my family, followed by my career, have always held top ranks. To share passions with your children is gratifying, but when those collective passions help other families the feeling is extraordinary. I am proud of the advancements that specialty pharmacy has seen since the JMCP publication 20 years ago and I am energized for the impact that my family (both sons and daughter-in-law) and our companies will continue to have on this health industry in the years and decades to come.”

Read Dr. Gordon Vanscoy’s and Gannon Vanscoy’s publications in Volume 26, Issue 3 of The Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy.

Read more about Dr. Gordon J. Vanscoy.

Read more about Gannon Vanscoy.

PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy is proud to have again earned the #1 ranking in the quarterly patient satisfaction survey conducted by Zitter Health Insights, an independent national survey entity. For the fourth quarter of 2019, PANTHERx obtained the highest Net Promoter Score (NPS) among all independent specialty pharmacies surveyed. Net Promoter Score (NPS) is compiled by asking patients, on a scale of 0 to 10, how likely they would be to recommend their specialty pharmacy to a friend or family member. With an NPS of 91 (out of 100) PANTHERx scored 37 points higher than the fourth-quarter 2019 industry average of 54 points.

“Our rare focus sets PANTHERx apart in the specialty pharmacy space. While we continue to grow, we maintain the mindset that if we can serve more patients than we served yesterday, while having every patient feel they have our undivided attention, then we are fulfilling our mission. The Zitter Health Insights surveys reflects that every member of our team is wholly invested in the quality care, health, happiness, and satisfaction of our patients,” said Dr. Gordon J. Vanscoy, Chairman & CEO of PANTHERx.

PANTHERx received perfect NPS scores from patients living with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) and pulmonology, amongst others.

The PANTHERx team is proud to have earned such high marks from its patients, validating the team’s authentic dedication to white-glove rare patient care:

• PANTHERx ranked best when patients were asked if they would be unhappy if they were forced to switch to a different specialty pharmacy, with 94% saying they would be VERY Unhappy.
• 81% of patients reported monthly treatment outreach from PANTHERx, compared to 33% for the industry overall.
• 96% of patients surveyed indicated that they are satisfied with the existing telephone hold times at PANTHERx.

About PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy

PANTHERx RARE Pharmacy, the nation’s largest independent specialty pharmacy and only health entity with an accredited distinction (ACHC) in rare 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 the 2018 Specialty Pharmacy of the Year by the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy. Zitter Health Insights awarded PANTHERx the Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Award for two consecutive years. As a quadruple-accredited pharmacy, PANTHERx holds accreditations from URAC, VIPPS, ACHC, and CPPA.

The end of the decade brought with it an exciting and critical trend for people living with rare diseases. Over the last eight years, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) approved more than twice as many orphan drugs as in the previous eight years (see graph below).

It is often the case that people living with rare diseases face a long and difficult journey to diagnosis. During this time patients are going from doctor to doctor in search of answers, treatments, and hope that they are on the path the health. Too often patients go undiagnosed or, perhaps worse, are diagnosed and sadly informed that there is no treatment for their particular rare condition.

The number of annual orphan drug approvals are trending in favor of the rare disease community, but not as quickly as is necessary for the people suffering daily from the implications of their conditions. Every orphan drug approval is certainly a scientific advancement and the epitome of hope for patients and their families who have waited years, maybe decades for a viable treatment option. Unfortunately, the majority of people living with rare diseases (roughly 95%) are still waiting for the creation and approval of drugs to treat their conditions. While every new drug launch inspires hope in the rare disease community, each approval is also a reminder of the many treatments yet to be discovered and many people who are not yet able to rely on tailored medications for their complex health needs.

PANTHERx is proud of our contributions to the strides made in rare pharmacy over the last decade and we are committed to greater advancements in the decade ahead. We continue to support our rare disease community and work fervently with our industry leading partners to offer more breakthrough therapies, more care programs, and more hope to patients and their families who deserve the best level of care and quality of life that our world’s ever advancing medicines can provide.

New Drug Therapy Approvals 2019

FY 2019 Report from CBER’s Director

PANTHERx® Rare Pharmacy announces that it has been selected by Harmony Biosciences, LLC (Harmony) to distribute WAKIX® (pitolisant). PANTHERx is one of a select few specialty pharmacies providing nationwide access to the medication.

“We are excited to be a part of the WAKIX® distribution network as we work with Harmony,” said Dr. Gordon Vanscoy, Chairman and CEO of PANTHERx.
The WAKIX™ for You Support Program is available to help patients get started and stay on track with WAKIX. The program also provides educational resources, works with insurance providers to determine coverage, and offers financial support programs for eligible patients. Patients prescribed WAKIX can call 1-855-WAKIX4U to enroll in the support program.

About PANTHERx® Rare Pharmacy
PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy, the nation’s only health entity with an accredited distinction (ACHC) in rare 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. Zitter Health Insights awarded PANTHERx the Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Award winner for two consecutive years. As a quad-accredited pharmacy, PANTHERx holds accreditations from URAC, VIPPS, ACHC, and CPPA.

September 6, 2019 – Pittsburgh, PA

PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a Pharmacy Management System (PMS) that would replace the current digital operational environment and database structure. The RFI specifically seeks to provide PANTHERx Rare with the understanding of available marketplace solutions to enable pharmaceutical services in rare and orphan populations. The breadth of these interests and needs include operational workflow, revenue cycle management, patient record management, inventory control, shipping interfaces, prescription processing, communication capabilities, and custom data reporting. October 31st, 2019, is the current posted due date.

PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy announces that it has, for a 4th time, been named to the Inc. 5000 list, celebrating the fastest-growing private companies in America. PANTHERx is being recognized on this prestigious national list as the 268th fastest growing company overall and the 26th fastest growing company in Health. Regionally, PANTHERx is the #6 fastest growing company in Pennsylvania and #1 in Pittsburgh.

Click here to view PANTHERx’s Inc. 5,000 profile.

About Our Inc. Standings
Over the last 40 years, tens of thousands of companies have applied to the Inc. 5,000 and only a fraction have made the list more than once. This year PANTHERx Rare joins the exclusive group of 1 in 13 companies has made the Inc. 5000 list 4 times. PANTHERx is one of only 12 companies in Pittsburgh to make the 2019 Inc. 5,000 list. With a 1,634.7% three-year revenue growth rate and $726.1 million in 2018 revenue, PANTHERx is in the top 10 percent of the Inc. 5,000 in both revenue categories.

Of the 42 companies in the Inc. 5,000 Health category, PANTHERx ranks in at #26 for growth and #1 in 2018 revenue, accounting for $726.1 million of the Health category revenue of $2.9 billion. Analysis reveals that PANTHERx had the #1 highest revenue of the top 500 companies on the 2019 list.

“PANTHERx Rare is proud to be ranked on the Inc. 5,000 list for a fourth consecutive year. Over the last 12 months we opened a new state-of-the-art facility and we are filling it, we launched a new brand and we are celebrating it, and we created a new industry and we are continuing to define it. This is an exciting time for PANTHERx Rare as we grow in every definition of the word,” said Dr. Gordon J. Vanscoy, Chairman and CEO. “We continue to innovatively and attentively address the needs of our partners, prescribers, and, most importantly, our patients; it is for them that we grow and evolve while defining the rare pharmacy industry.”

PANTHERx Rare will be recognized among other Inc. 5000 honorees at the 40th Annual Inc. 5000 Conference and Awards Ceremony, taking place October 10-12, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona.

About PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy
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.

Click here to read the full press release.  

As the medical community has learned more about rare diseases and the complex medications and models used to treat rare disease patients, rare pharmacy has emerged as a growing sub-section of specialty pharmacy with its own unique domain of knowledge and skills. With this in mind, URAC has called on the expertise of industry leaders including PANTHERx and the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) to participate in an advisory panel to develop a rare disease recognition program.

It is often difficult for patients with rare diseases to receive an accurate diagnosis, and even then, it is difficult to make sure these patients receive proper supportive expertise and treatment. Rare disease care becomes even more complex when we consider not only the patients, but the caregivers, biopharma partners, payers, and prescribers as well. The needs of these groups must be addressed and continuously managed by the specialty pharmacy. A rare disease recognition program will assist providers to properly deliver therapies to patients living with rare diseases by accrediting specialty pharmacies who provide the necessary standard of care to properly aid patients suffering from rare conditions.

“The development of a rare disease recognition program is a natural evolution of the work URAC performs in specialty pharmacy accreditation,” according the Shawn Griffin, MD, URAC president and CEO. “Our goal is to recruit expert panelists including clinical providers, pharmacists, hub providers, rare disease consultants and biopharma representatives to inform the development of standards. We envision that a rare disease pharmacy recognition program will build upon the essential role that pharmacists and other health professionals play in the management and education of individuals with rare diseases.”

“PANTHERx is honored to be collaborating with our national accrediting bodies to create quality standards for rare pharmacy designation”, according to Dr. Gordon Vanscoy, PANTHERx CEO and Chairman. “Rare pharmacy represents a growing sub-specialty that has a unique domain of knowledge and skills, including nuanced biopharma partnering, orphan product distribution, financial and clinical support, payer contracting, near-real-time data management and reporting, and white-glove service that each patient deserves. This initiative must be stakeholder inclusive and establish a stringent set of quality standards for rare pharmacies because our patients deserve it.”

Join the Discussion

URAC is seeking other organizations who wish to serve on this Rare Disease Advisory Panel. As an independent accreditor, URAC will convene stakeholders to develop this recognition program with clear standards and evidence of performance. The Advisory Panel will convene via webex facilitated discussions for a total of 5 to 6 one-hour sessions.

Selection of participants for the Rare Disease Advisory Panel will reflect the diversity of key healthcare stakeholders in accordance with URAC’s Conflict of Interest Policy. Members are selected based upon their expertise, their potential contribution, and the need for input from a stakeholder perspective.

Any interested party wishing to participate can do so by contacting Robin Adams at 202-862-8835 or radams@urac.org by July 31, 2019.

About PANTHERx Rare Pharmacy

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 create ways to 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.

About URAC

Founded in 1990, URAC is the independent leader in promoting healthcare quality through leadership, accreditation, measurement and innovation. URAC is a nonprofit organization using evidence-based measures and developing standards through inclusive engagement with a range of stakeholders committed to improving the quality of healthcare. Our portfolio of accreditation and certification programs span the healthcare industry, addressing healthcare management, healthcare operations, health plans, pharmacies, telehealth providers, physician practices, and more. URAC accreditation is a symbol of excellence for organizations to showcase their validated commitment to quality and accountability. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

PANTHERx Specialty Pharmacy, the industry leading independent national specialty pharmacy, has been selected by Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. as a limited pharmacy network provider of its new once-daily oral antibiotic, Nuzyra™ (omadacycline). Nuzyra™ is a tetracycline class antibacterial approved to treat adults with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP) and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI).

PANTHERx understands the unique and urgent nature of anti-infective therapy management and has created a clinical protocol to meet the needs of all Nuzyra™ patients. Every Nuzyra™ patient at PANTHERx is guided through their journey by knowledgeable members of our staff who understand their conditions and the critical timeline for treatment. PANTHERx provides 24/7 clinical management, patient education, financial assistance support, and therapy adherence monitoring for our Nuzyra™ patients.

Approved in October 2018, Nuzyra™ is manufactured and marketed by Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Additional information about Nuzyra™ and resources for patient support are available through Nuzyra Central™ and can be found at www.nuzyra.com/hcp/nuzyra-central.

About PANTHERx Specialty Pharmacy
PANTHERx Specialty Pharmacy, The Rare Disease Specialty Pharmacy®, is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. PANTHERx Specialty’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 create ways to Reinvent Specialty, Revolutionize Pharmacy, and Redefine Care®, 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 VIPPS, ACHC, URAC, and CPPA.

We are excited to announce that PANTHERx Specialty Pharmacy has been selected as a finalist in the category of Retail/Independent/Hospital and Health System Specialty Pharmacies for the 2019 Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Awards. Our status in this category is a direct result of our outstanding patient satisfaction scores from the Zitter Insights Specialty Pharmacy Patient Satisfaction Surveys.

About the Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Awards
Created by Zitter Health Insights and the Specialty Pharmacy Times®, The Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Award honors specialty pharmacies for their commitment to patients. This award represents the highest quality in customer service and optimal patient care by a specialty pharmacy. The criteria for this award were formulated by an external committee comprising individuals representing pharmaceutical manufacturers, payers, trade organizations, consultants and equity research firms. Repeatedly receiving this coveted award recognizes an ongoing commitment to providing best-in-class customer satisfaction and overall patient care, measured by the patient satisfaction ratings. PANTHERx® is the winner of two consecutive annual Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Awards™ for patient satisfaction in 2017 and in 2018.

About The Survey and PANTHERx’s Patient Responses
The Zitter Health Insights survey, the nation’s standard for externally validated and scientifically rigorous specialty pharmacy patient satisfaction review, assesses numerous aspects of patient satisfaction and analyzes responses from ~4,000 specialty pharmacy patients across 10+ therapeutic areas and the top 10 specialty pharmacies every year. The survey’s primary metric is the widely recognized Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is compiled by asking patients, on a scale of 0 to 10, how likely they would be to recommend their specialty pharmacy to a friend or family member. PANTHERx consistently receives high NPS scores among independent SPs and has been recognized as #1 in “patient satisfaction about time to speak with a live person”.

“PANTHERx Specialty Pharmacy is extremely honored and humbled to be recognized for another year as a finalist for the Specialty Pharmacy Patient Choice Awards,” said Dr. Gordon Vanscoy, Chairman & CEO of PANTHERx. “Our involvement in the Zitter Health Patient Surveys has afforded us a temporal validation that our mission to redefine the level of care provided in specialty pharmacy is being recognized by the rare disease patients whom we serve on a daily basis. PANTHERx has invested, and continues to invest, heavily in improving patient outcomes, which include both patient satisfaction and improved health. We desire for our patients to feel that they are receiving the greatest level of care available to them, and being a Zitter Patient Choice Award finalist reinforces to both our organization and our patients, that PANTHERx is consistently delivering that greatest level of care.”