OptumRx, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, is eyeing four new drugs this year:
1. Lecanemab, the third-ever Alzheimer's drug approved by the FDA that failed to achieve a better CMS coverage plan than Aduhelm.
2. Donanemab, another Alzheimer's drug that is awaiting approval. Both lecanemab and donanemab target amyloid plaque buildup in the brain. Eli Lilly has not yet submitted an application for full approval.
3. Roctavian (valoctocogene roxaparvovec), a hemophilia A gene therapy drug that didn't secure the FDA's nod in 2020. "By providing a functional copy of the Factor VIII gene, it could reduce or eliminate the need for costly clotting factor replacement therapy in some patients," Optum said. The FDA is expected to make a decision by March 31.
4. Fezolinetant, a non-hormonal treatment for menopause-associated vasomotor symptoms. The current standard of care for these symptoms, such as hot flashes, consists of hormone therapies and antidepressants, but this drug may be more tolerable for patients. The FDA's expected decision date is May 22.