Why Otezla???

Can someone help me out why otezla is beneficial to a patient?
I am currently taking humira (a shot every two weeks, not painful at all). I have united health commercial insurance w $3000 deductible . Their copay card waived my deductible and my copay is $5 each month. I am not trying to be a smart ass, just trying to see why someone like me might go w pills that are twice daily?

 

tuberculosis
invasive fungal infections
demyelinating disorders
lymphomas
leukemia
melanomas
worsening of CHF
aplastic anemia
hepatitis B reactivation
automimmunity
immunosupression
injection site reactions
infections
16% diarrhea
monthly liver lab reports requiring you to spill blood
inability to take live vaccines
sepsis
Guillan Barre syndrome

or you could take a product where 12% of patient had diarrhea for a week - no lab work - you don't have to stick yourself with a needle - no black box - your copay will be ZERO - and you don't have to worry about needle disposal

if it doesn't work, you can always go back to your mouse proteins

 

You got a point, wht about vs methotrexate once or twice a week ?

 

Same black box worries with MTX and it makes you feel worse and doesn't work as well as the biologics. If I am going to take on the risks, I'd rather take a biologic. Personally, I'd prefer a fully humanized one, but Humira would be ok.

Rheums write it because the payer makes them, not cause they want to.

First, do not harm.

If you need to, the TNFs will be there. If not, why take the risk? Because you like needles?

 

If it does work (6/10 don't get an ACR20 = doesn't work).......and
You can manage to take 2 x pills every day for the foreseeable future.......and
You can tolerate the diarrhea in the first 2 weeks.......and
You don't get depression / lose 10% of your body weight.......and
You have a low co-pay.......and
You are not keen on needles..... then

It is a good option

 

ACR20 at 52 weeks? The MDs know. Do you?

 

I'm sure that you are really a patient!

 

ROFL!!!!

Rheums do, derms do.... it's clear you don't have a clue....

The week 52 ACR20 are a responder analysis , i.e. patients who were on placebo being moved onto apremilast..... Talk about cherry picking data and dressing up poor week 16 data (your primary endpoint)

Just to educate you.... (BTW it's in your Prescribing Information if you haven't read it yet...)

PsA1 - week 16 - ACR20 = 38%
PsA2 - week 16 - ACR20 = 32%
PsA3 - week 16 - ACR20 = 41%

Placebo responses in these studies were the highest ever seen in any PsA study at 18%-19%. So to make it simple for you ....

You have a 1 out of 5 chance that apremilast will both work and be better than a 30 year old DMARD that is as cheap as chips.... Not great odds

Average ACR20 response for biologics = 60% at week 12 (i.e. quicker and better)

 

why do we entertain anonois posts that are pretty clearly looking for our competitive selling message? is it insecurity that drives us to spout off what we know to feel better- of op is a patient, please let me propose the following- friend one of us on linked in- let us know you are genuine and that you aren't a competitive troll-then we may be able to genuinely assist you.

 

Dumb-ass, I am trying to help you guys realize this pill will not sell.

 

All dumb ass, please read
http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/celgene-thinks-its-otezla-pill-will-be-easy-market-swallow/2014-03-24

 

I have been on Otezla for 1.5 months now. PSA is still in check, had 1 bout of sciatica, but it was short lived (I think it was from the come down of Enbrel). My spinal pain is in check, but I haven't seen a lot of skin clearance yet. I am still optimistic and I will give it another few months. Enbrel did get my PSA in check, but it did not help my skin issues. My sciatic issues are caused by the arthritis in my sacroillyiac joint, so as long as that is under control I am at peace despite my skin issues. The first 2 weeks of Otezla did present the nausea issues, but it did pass. I wish nothing but the best for my fellow sufferers.

 

I've been on Otezla now for about 6 months. My dermatologist tried to start it around September but my crappy insurance wouldn't approve it since it wasn't approved for psoriasis. She treated me with samples until December and it still took BCBS until March to approve it but my April refill was no problem. They make you go through specialty pharmacy. In my case accredo.

My skins started to clear in about 10 days and continued to clear until the 4 month mark and its been pretty steady since then. I still have a touch but I'd say I am about 90% clear. I didn't have any GI issues but I had a headache for about a week that wasn't so cool. It's gone now and I can't tell that I have any side effects at all. I do wish it was once a day because sometimes I miss an evening dose.

I like that I don't have to go get my blood drawn. So far so good.

If I could improve anything I would say that it was the bush league way the specialty pharmacy always sent me my samples late while they were getting it approved. I was constantly missing a couple days here and there. They really seem confused. Now, it seems to come on time but I just about quit early on cause the never seemed to ship the samples on time.

I qualified for zero copay. You have to ask, even if you have BCBS otherwise they don't tell you about it. I pay zero each month and all in all am very thankful.

 

Cause it works and it's a non biologic

 

I have been on Otezla now for 3 months and I have to say UNREAL~! I had the following problem areas. Back of head, front right shin, left area above ankle, elbows and tailbone. on a scale on 1 to 10, with 10 being the BAD I wld say all were a solid 7. I am totally clear with no signs of redness or scale, except skin color on area above left ankle from all the steroid creams over the years. Tried Embrel for a year but was not happy with side effects. Otezla was 2 weeks with diarrhea symptoms and little upset stomach.

I would recommend it hands down!

 

I have never been on Enbrel or Humira. I was on a variety of creams which work ok but not great. My doc tried light therapy but its not so easy to get off work all the time to show up for that. He suggested we try Remicade which I would have to visit him for as well. I declined. So he kept me on creams and rotates them around. I never really got clearance.

So I asked him about Otezla. He said it was too hard to get. Said it was without a doubt the safest option but that the other manufacturers conspired to keep it unavailable. I pretty much forced him to write it for me. I took it to Walmart but they said they couldn't fill it. I took it to Walgreens and they said it had to go through their mail order group. Then my insurance wrote me a scary letter saying I had to first try their "preferred" agents. I call them and argued but they still rejected it. So I wrote them a letter and told them that they were accepting all the risk of the "preferred" injectable agent when my doc had already written me a Otezla order. In a week they called and said that they were approving it for 1 year.

From the time my doc wrote it to the time they mailed it to me was 5 months. All during that time I just keep using my cream. I've been on Otezla now for 3 months. I'd say I am about 90% clear. I couldn't really tell anything the first two weeks but by a month I felt better and I could tell for sure on my elbows. By 6 weeks I was as clear as I've ever been. I had an upset stomach the first week. My doc told me to be on the look out for the runs, but I never had them. Since the first week I haven't had any ill effects that I can tell of.

My advice is that you have to fight your doc and much as you fight your insurance. For some reason, they want you to get injections. They probably get some sort of cut for having to go get your blood drawn every month. Glad I don't have to do that anymore. Cindy is nice but she always jabbed me several times. But if you just insist and tell Blue Cross that you want the safer option and that all the risk is on them, they will approve it.

I couldn't be happier. Good luck to all and keep your creams until you get it approved.

 

It's true, the insurance companies get Humira kickbacks in the way of rebates to block out Otezla even though it's cheaper and safer

 

My rheumatologist gave me Otezla as well. He just kept me stocked up with samples for about 6 months until my insurance finally approved it.

As for the product, I have more energy and my fingers don't hurt at all anymore. I have no side effects at all.

As for insurance, they are without shame. They fought me the entire time. If it weren't for the samples I wouldn't have made it.

Glad I am on it now but I worry every year when we do open enrollment that something is going to change and I am going to have to fight insurance all over again to stay on my drugs.

Something fishy is going on. How can they force me to take a product that I have to jab in my belly and have liver testing for over a product that I swallow with some milk and forget about it?

 

Trying to locate this genius ^^^^^

 

Otezla is already CELG's 5th biggest drug with sales in excess of $450 YTD

Consensus Otezla estimated are sales of $2.2Billion in 2019

Otezla will drive the second most growth 2015-2019.

Cumulative sales 2015-19 are $7.01Billion or 10.2% of CELGs total revenue

CAGR between 2014-2-019 is 98.7%

CELG doesn't rebate so every dollar sold is booked.