Caremark Selected as Preferred Health Services Provider and Pharmacy Benefit Manager for Rebif(R)
Rebif(R) is prescribed for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Rebif(R) was approved in Europe in 1998 and is now registered for use in more than 70 countries worldwide. FDA approval for use in the United States was granted in March 2002.
Caremark will distribute Rebif(R) through its 17 JCAHO accredited specialty mail services pharmacies, which are designed to accommodate the unique requirements of certain therapies, and to Caremark's PBM members through its national retail pharmacy network. Caremark will provide education and monitoring to address the special needs of individuals taking Rebif(R), including programs to support therapy compliance and self-care. Rebif(R) is easy to administer, because it does not require mixing or preparation. It is currently the only treatment that is available in ready-to-use, pre-filled syringes.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, inflammatory condition of the central nervous system. It is the most common non-traumatic disease of the central nervous system in young adults and today affects approximately 350,000 people in the U.S. While symptoms can vary from person to person affected by MS, common symptoms include: blurred vision, numbness and tingling in the limbs and problems with strength and coordination. The relapsing forms of the disease are the most common forms of MS.
Rebif(R) was able to gain marketing approval under the terms of the Orphan Drug Act by demonstrating clinical superiority over Avonex(R) in reduction of relapses at 24 weeks in the EVIDENCE head to head study. Approximately 75% of the patients in the EVIDENCE study who received Rebif(R) did not have a relapse, compared to 63% of patients in the study who received Avonex(R). This reflects a 32% relative reduction in the proportion of Rebif(R) patients who experienced relapses during the initial 24-week study period. Such a difference is important since relapses, which can include paralysis, loss of vision and other symptoms, can substantially lower the quality of a patient's life for weeks or months. Adverse reactions were generally similar between the two treatment groups. Exceptions included injection site disorders (80% of patients on Rebif vs. 24% of patients on Avonex), hepatic function disorders (14% on Rebif vs. 7% on Avonex) and leukopenia (3% on Rebif and <1% on Avonex).
Caremark's President and Chief Operating Officer Jim Dickerson stated, "We are extremely pleased to be selected by Serono as a preferred health benefit solutions provider for Rebif(R). Our experience in providing services to MS patients, coupled with our strong payor relationships, provide a solid foundation to introduce this exciting new therapy."
Physicians seeking to prescribe or individuals wanting to learn more about Rebif(R) should contact Serono's MS LifeLines at 1-877-44REBIF or call Caremark at 1-800-237-2767. Patient's seeking a complimentary Rebiject(TM) device or free Rebiject(TM) device training can call Serono's MS LifeLines at 1-877-44-REBIF for more information.
About Caremark
Caremark is a leading pharmaceutical services company providing comprehensive drug benefit services to over 1,200 health plan sponsors and holding contracts to serve approximately 24 million participants throughout the U.S. Caremark's clients include managed care organizations, insurance companies, corporate health plans, unions, government agencies, and other funded benefit plans. The company operates a national retail pharmacy network with over 50,000 participating pharmacies, three state-of-the-art mail service pharmacies, the industry's only FDA-regulated repackaging plant and 17 JCAHO-accredited specialized therapeutic mail service pharmacies for delivery of advanced medications to individuals with chronic or genetic diseases and disorders.
About Serono
Serono, Inc., located in Rockland, Massachusetts is the US affiliate of Serono, S.A. a global biotechnology leader, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The Company has six recombinant products on the market, Gonal-F(R) (follitropin alfa for injection), Luveris(R) (lutropin alfa), Ovidrel(R)/Ovitrelle(R) (choriogonadotropin alfa for injection), Rebif(R) (interferon beta-la), Serostim(R) [somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection] and Saizen(R) [somatropin (rDNA origin) for injection]. (Luveris(R) is not approved in the United States.) In addition to being the world leader in reproductive health, Serono has strong market positions in neurology, metabolism and growth. The Company's research programs are focused on growing these businesses and on establishing new therapeutic areas. Currently, there are fifteen new molecules in development.
In 2001 Serono achieved worldwide revenues of US$1.38 billion, and a net income of US$317 million, making it the third largest biotech company in the world based on revenues. The Company operates in 45 countries, and its products are sold in over 100 countries. Bearer shares of Serono S.A. the holding company, are traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange (SEO) and its American Depositary Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (SRA).
Additional information about Caremark Rx is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.caremarkrx.com/
Additional information about Serono is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.seronousa.com/
Additional information about Rebif(R) is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.rebif.com/
Source: Caremark Rx, Inc.
Contact: Pete Clemens, Investor Relations of Caremark Rx, Inc., +1-205-733-8996; or Media Inquiries - Cindy Martin, +1-312-640-6741, or Analyst Inquiries - Kathy Brunson, +1-312-640-6696, both of The Financial Relations Board-BSMG Worldwide; or Carolyn Castel, Communications of Serono, Inc., +1-781-681-2340