Amgen, Magellan Rx Partner to Improve Patient Care for Chronic, Difficult-to-Treat Conditions

Amgen and Magellan Rx Management—the pharmacy benefit management division of Magellan Health—are teaming up for a multi-year collaboration that will leverage each other’s capabilities and resources to explore and identify clinical gaps for some of healthcare’s most difficult-to-treat diseases.

The project will initially focus on improving patient outcomes for 2 conditions: osteoporosis and migraine.

“We’re collaborating to evaluate the impact of interventions in patients with migraine or osteoporosis,” said Steve Michurski, senior vice president of Trade Relations at Magellan Rx, in a statement. “We have a unique testing opportunity that can offer real-world evidence. The relationship combines our collective capabilities and resources to create value and insights for patients and providers across healthcare systems.”

The osteoporosis project will work to improve disease management in patients following a bone fracture, as the likelihood of a second fracture in these patients increases 3 to 5 times. However, just a quarter of these patients are evaluated and treated. The project will also help determine if an individualized program to identify high-risk patients with osteoporosis and intervene with resources and information will result in better health outcomes and, in turn, reduce costs for the healthcare system.

Magellan Rx will teach patients how to care for their fractures, the risks of not adhering to medication, and lifestyle changes they can make to minimize their risk of future fractures. The Magellan Rx team will also provide education resources for healthcare providers to help them identify obstacles that prevent patients from successfully managing their condition and treatment plan, as well as tools to help providers educate their patients on critical aspects of their care.

As the financial and clinical burdens of migraine are not well understood by payers and employers, the pair will also work to understand the unmet needs of people living with migraine and identify opportunities to improve their treatment experience, particularly with nonopioid alternatives.

A recent migraine survey highlighted the fact that just one-third of respondents were aware of calcitonin gene-related peptide inhibitors, and among those who did know about the therapies had questions and concerns, such as cost, insurance coverage, and side effects. Another survey found that, among women with migraine, there is an overwhelming belief that people with migraine are dismissed as exaggerating their symptoms and that employers don’t understand the burden of the condition on their employees.

By gaining insight into these unmet needs, Amgen and Magellan Rx hope to inform the development of educational materials for employers, payers, and patients around the burden of migraine to improve patient outcomes and the utilization of treatment resources.