Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be scary. It may involve navigating an uncertain future, different routines and unfamiliar medications, tests and doctor’s appointments. Prime Therapeutics (Prime) helps simplify treatment by connecting patients living with cancer to the right oncology medications faster, with fewer hassles, less waste and less financial impact, leading to improved health outcomes and a less intimidating care experience.  

“Prime is proud to support patients from the moment they receive a potentially life-altering diagnosis and throughout the cancer treatment process,” said Simone Ndujiuba, PharmD, BCOP, senior principal, clinical oncology pharmacist at Prime.  

Unfortunately, treating cancer is expensive, with the cost of oncology medications projected to reach $409 billion by 2028. While these costs vary depending on cancer type — with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and myeloma as the costliest oral treatments — the truth is, many patients struggle to afford therapy. Cancer drugs are the second most expensive drug category behind autoimmune based on Prime’s combined medical and pharmacy commercial claims data, according to a 2024 internal analysis.  

Integrated support tool helps lower drug costs  
Making medications more affordable is one of Prime’s key aims. Prime works to accomplish this when it comes to treating cancer is through its industry-leading IntegratedRx® – Oncology product. This integrated clinic-to-pharmacy model puts pharmacists and health care providers on the same team, allowing them to communicate directly. It also provides members with a central location for their treatment: their care center and its in-house pharmacy.  

“Prime is reimagining pharmacy care and actively supports pharmacy choice, which is why IntegratedRx is such a unique offering,” said Jason Graveline, senior director, specialty innovation and strategy. “We’re able to connect patients to their provider’s integrated pharmacy and encourage more collaboration among the care team. This ultimately leads to a better treatment experience for patients, which is the goal. We want patients living with cancer to focus on improving their condition, while having a convenient, integrated option where they can pick up their medications to do so.” 

IntegratedRx, which received a 2024 PBMI Excellence Award in cost containment, saves clients about $5,000 every year per utilizing member, reducing total cost of care by about 9%, according to Prime data. Prime’s 95% member satisfaction rate is among the highest in the industry, driven by the use of a single consolidated platform for all drugs, creating a seamless provider experience and better member care. 

Precision oncology helps improve patient outcomes 
Tailoring treatments to a patient’s unique DNA is an area of recent innovation. Precision oncology, or targeting cancer treatments to the unique genetic characteristics of a patient’s tumor, is one way to help connect patients with the correct treatments more quickly and efficiently. In the latest episode of Prime’s Pharmacy Friends podcast, oncology experts share how Prime's first-of-its-kind precision oncology product, powered by Trapelo, helps streamline the prior authorization and treatment selection process and reduces the number of days between testing and treatment.  

Clinical publications highlight cutting-edge treatments and the latest innovations in cancer care 
Prime is also a leader in the industry when it comes to keeping a finger on the pulse of pharmacy innovations. Whether it’s through its Expert Clinical Network — where clients have access to more than 175 national and world-renowned key opinion leaders in multiple disease categories — or its research highlighted in managed care pharmacy journals and events, Prime’s oncology teams are committed to advancing the field of medicine to provide the kind of care they would want for their loved ones.  

Staying on top of the latest oncology clinical insights is one way Prime helps health plans and health care leaders make important decisions about patient care. Prime publishes a quarterly drug pipeline report, which provides thought leadership and competitive intelligence on anticipated drugs in development, keeping stakeholders informed about new and emerging treatments. Ndujiuba also publishes a monthly column, Oncology Insights, sharing the latest in the field of cancer care.  

The company also publishes a number of clinical reports. The latest Prime Therapeutics Report shares how patients receive targeted cancer treatment quickly, leading to better outcomes through Prime’s precision oncology product that pairs biomarker testing with targeted drug therapy selection.  

“Our clinical publications provide unique perspectives that reinforce the value of having managed care pharmacy professionals in the conversation to help improve access and cost for cutting-edge therapies that can change lives for the better,” said David Eckwright, PharmD, senior director, specialty and clinical insights at Prime, who co-authored research on the real-world operational process of biomarker testing, which appears in the latest Prime Therapeutics Report.  

Offering cancer support from the heart 
Prime also supports cancer research through the American Cancer Society, which is one of Prime’s five strategic charity partners. The organization works to ensure everyone has an opportunity to detect, treat and survive cancer. In 2023, Prime raised $46,527 for the American Cancer Society.  

Learn more about how Prime helps clients and members manage cancer 

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May is National Cancer Research Month 

Prime Therapeutics (Prime) joins the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in recognizing National Cancer Research Month, an initiative that aims to raise awareness about the critical role of research in finding effective treatments and potential cures for cancer. You can get involved by learning about the latest cancer research, reading and sharing patient stories, fundraising for cancer research organizations and donating to support research and treatment. Learn more about how Prime supports cancer research initiatives through its Prime Together Foundation at PrimeTherapeutics.com/Prime-Together-Foundation.  

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Hear from Simone Ndujiuba and Nathan Downhour from Prime’s World Cancer Day efforts about how Prime is working to simplify the health care experience and improve outcomes for the clients it serves.