CVS Health, which operates one of the largest pharmacy benefit manager units in the U.S., has added migraine drugs from Teva Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly to its formulary, while excluding coverage of a rival treatment from Amgen, Reuters reports.
The CVS decision comes as a setback for Amgen's migraine treatment, Aimovig, because many people who rely on coverage will likely turn to Teva and Eli Lilly instead.
Inclusion on a PBM's preferred drug list is deemed critically important for sales of new medicines.
An Amgen spokesperson told Reuters the company was disappointed in the decision but will work toward Aimovig becoming a preferred brand.
CVS didn't disclose why it excluded Amgen from its list, but PBMs typically extract discounts from drugmakers in return for favorable placement on their list of covered drugs.
Read the full report here.