The Biden administration has announced the next 15 drugs chosen for Medicare negotiation, marking one of its final acts before the inauguration of President-elect Trump.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) had until Feb. 1 to release the list, but officials said the agency had routinely been ahead of schedule throughout the process.
Coupled with the first 10 drugs that have already been negotiated for by Medicare, the newest selection of drugs represent a third of all Medicare Part D spending. Some of the manufacturers that will have to negotiate this year were also included in last year’s talks.
“Today, I’m proud to announce that my Administration has selected the next 15 drugs for Medicare drug price negotiation. The drugs treat conditions such as diabetes and cancer, and seniors across the country rely on them,” President Biden said in a statement.
Novo Nordisk, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb (parent company of the Celgene Corporation) will all be asked to negotiate with Medicare for a second year in a row. Manufacturers will have until Feb. 28 to sign negotiation agreements.
The conditions treated by these drugs include diabetes, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and schizophrenia.
Here are the next 15 drugs chosen for Medicare negotiations:
Ozempic; Rybelsus; Wegovy
For treating: Diabetes, obesity
Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk
Trelegy Ellipta
For treating: COPD
Manufacturer: GlaxoSmithKline
Xtandi
For treating: Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
Manufacturer: Astellas Pharma
Pomalyst
For treating: Multiple myeloma
Manufacturer: Celgene Corporation
Ibrance
For treating: Breast cancer
Manufacturer: Pfizer
Ofev
For treating: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Manufacturer: Boehringer Ingelheim
Linzess
For treating: Irritable bowel syndrome with constipation
Manufacturer: Forest Pharmaceuticals
Calquence
For treating: Mantle cell lymphoma
Manufacturer: AstraZeneca
Austedo; Austedo XR
For treating: Chorea associated with Huntington’s disease, tardive dyskinesia
Manufacturer: Teva Pharmaceuticals
Breo Ellipta
For treating: Airflow obstruction and for reducing exacerbations in COPD patients
Manufacturer: GlaxoSmithKline
Tradjenta
For treating: Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Manufacturer: Boehringer Ingelheim
Xifaxan
For treating: Travelers’ diarrhea caused by E. coli
Manufacturer: Salix Pharmaceuticals
Vraylar
For treating: Schizophrenia, manic episodes associated with bipolar 1 disorder
Manufacturer: Actavis
Janumet; Janumet XR
For treating: Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Manufacturer: Merck
Otezla
For treating: Psoriatic arthritis
Manufacturer: Celgene Corporation
