Walgreens announced on Thursday that it will begin working directly with drugmakers to provide cell and gene therapies to patients in the United States.
The corporation announced the creation of a new business unit called AllianceRx, which will be devoted to its specialty pharmacy division. The segment will be part of Walgreens’ main U.S. retail pharmacy business. Walgreens’ U.S. healthcare division will continue to oversee Shields Health Solutions, a company that provides support to specialty pharmacies owned by the health system.
In the American healthcare system, specialty pharmacies have grown to be important players, particularly as the prevalence of chronic illnesses rises. Medication that needs to be handled, stored, and distributed with the utmost care can be found at specialty pharmacies. Patients with chronic or difficult illnesses and cancer frequently receive these treatments. Additionally, specialty pharmacies provide financial aid or advice to patients who are undergoing expensive therapies.
The business plans to construct a newly licensed facility in Pittsburgh that will provide services for cell and gene therapies as part of its expanded investments to “transform” its specialty pharmacy offerings. Among other things, the 18,000-square-foot facility will assist pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals in managing patient needs and navigating the intricate supply chain for those therapies.
Following a spike in the approval of these medications in the United States and the European Union last year, Walgreens has decided to offer cell and gene therapy services. These are expensive, one-time therapies that aim to cure or drastically change the course of a patient’s ailment by targeting the genetic source or cell of the patient. Certain medical professionals anticipate that gene and cell therapies will eventually supplant patients’ long-term medications to control chronic illnesses.
Walgreens employs more than 1,500 specialty pharmacists, 5,000 members of patient advocate support teams, and an undisclosed number of specialized pharmacy teams. The company provides over 1,300 specialist medications, comprising 240 pharmaceuticals with “limited distribution,” which are only available to a small number of specialty pharmacies.
Read More: Click Here
