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Specialty Pharmacy Clinical Policy Bulletins
Aetna Non-Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
Subject: Purixan 2982-A SGM P2022

Drug
PURIXAN
PURIXAN  (mercaptopurine)


Policy:

       I.  INDICATIONS

            The indications below including FDA-approved indications and
            compendial uses are considered a covered benefit provided
            that all the approval criteria are met and the member has no
            exclusions to the prescribed therapy.

            A.  FDA-Approved Indications
                Purixan is indicated for the treatment of patients with acute
                lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as part of a combination
                chemotherapy maintenance regimen.

            B.  Compendial Uses
                 1.  ALL / Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL)
                 2.  Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)
                 3.  Moderate to Severe Crohn's Disease (CD)

            All other indications are considered
            experimental/investigational and not medically necessary.

 
     II.  DOCUMENTATION

           Submission of the following information is necessary to initiate
           the prior authorization review: Documentation supporting an
           intolerable adverse event with the generic alternative
           mercaptopurine (the adverse event was not an expected
           adverse event attributed to the active ingredient as described in
           the prescribing information).

 
    III.  CRITERIA FOR INITIAL APPROVAL

            A.  Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)/ Lymphoblastic
                 lymphoma (LL)
                 Authorization of 12 months may be granted for treatment
                 of ALL/LL when either of the following criteria is met:
                 1.  Member has a documented intolerable adverse event
                      with the generic alternative mercaptopurine and the
                      adverse event was not an expected adverse event
                      attributed to the active ingredient as described in the
                      prescribing information, OR
                 2.  Member is unable to swallow the tablet formulation.

            B.  Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)
                 Authorization of 12 months may be granted for treatment
                 of APL when either of the following criteria is met:
                 1.  Member has a documented intolerable adverse event
                      with the generic alternative mercaptopurine and the
                      adverse event was not an expected adverse event
                      attributed to the active ingredient as described in the
                      prescribing information, OR
                 2.  Member is unable to swallow the tablet formulation

            C.  Moderate to Severe Crohn’s Disease (CD)
                 Authorization of 12 months may be granted for treatment
                 of moderate to severe CD when either of the following
                 criteria is met:
                 1.  Member has a documented intolerable adverse event
                      with the generic alternative mercaptopurine and the
                      adverse event was not an expected adverse event
                      attributed to the active ingredient as described in the
                      prescribing information, OR
                 2.  Member is unable to swallow the tablet formulation


          IV.  CONTINUATION OF THERAPY

                 A.  ALL/LL and APL
                      Authorization of 12 months may be granted for
                      continued treatment in members requesting
                      reauthorization for ALL/LL or APL when there is no
                      evidence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression
                      while on the current regimen.

                 B.  Moderate to Severe Crohn’s Disease (CD)
                      Authorization of 12 months may be granted for all
                      members (including new members) who are using the
                      requested medication for moderate to severe CD and
                      who achieve or maintain a positive clinical response as
                      evidenced by low disease or improvement in signs and
                      symptoms of the condition where there is improvement
                      in any of the following from baseline:
                      1.  Abdominal pain or tenderness
                      2.  Diarrhea
                      3.  Body weight
                      4.  Abdominal mass
                      5.  Hematocrit
                      6.  Endoscopic appearance of the mucosa
                      7.   Improvement on a disease activity scoring tool
                            (e.g., Crohn’s Disease Activity Index [CDAI] score)


Place of Service:

Outpatient

The above policy is based on the following references:
  1. Purixan [package insert]. Franklin, TN: Rare Disease Therapeutics, Inc.; April 2020.
  2. The NCCN Drugs & Biologics Compendium® © 2022 National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Inc. Available at: http://www.nccn.org. Accessed May 13, 2022.
  3. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Version 1.2022. https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/ped_all.pdf. Accessed May 13, 2022.
  4. IBM Micromedex® DRUGDEX ® (electronic version). IBM Watson Health, Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA. Available at https://www.micromedexsolutions.com (Accessed: May 13, 2022).
  5. Lichtenstein GR, Loftus Jr EV, Isaacs KI, et al. ACG Clinical Guideline: Management of Crohn’s Disease in Adults. Am J Gastroenterol. 2018;113:481-517.
Copyright Aetna Inc. All rights reserved. Pharmacy Clinical Policy Bulletins are developed by Aetna to assist in administering plan benefits and constitute neither offers of coverage nor medical advice. This Clinical Policy Bulletin contains only a partial, general description of plan or program benefits and does not constitute a contract. Aetna does not provide health care services and, therefore, cannot guarantee any results or outcomes. Participating providers are independent contractors in private practice and are neither employees nor agents of Aetna or its affiliates. Treating providers are solely responsible for medical advice and treatment of members. This Clinical Policy Bulletin may be updated and therefore is subject to change.

December 29, 2022
Aetna
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