AUTHORIZATION

Amgen Can Help Support Patients at Every Step of the Access Process

Treatment with PROCYSBI® (cysteamine bitartrate) delayed-release capsules or delayed-release oral granules may require initial action from the HCP and office staff for patients to get access.

Each patient’s access process may be different, but our team will serve as a partner to help navigate your patient’s unique experience.

Benefits Investigation


Amgen By Your Side Can Assist You With the Benefits Investigation (BI) Process

Our team will contact your patient’s insurance company to review coverage and work with the patient to ensure they understand:

  • Whether the medicine is covered by their policy
  • Any estimated out-of-pocket costs and financial assistance that may be available
  • All prior authorization (PA) requirements

Take a deeper look at Amgen By Your Side’s support of patient access

Prior Authorization


Your Patient May Need a Prior Authorization (PA) Before Beginning PROCYSBI

Health plans sometimes require a PA before approving coverage of medicine. Also referred to as a preauthorization or precertification, this is a process that your office must complete, describing the reasons your patient should be prescribed PROCYSBI and why the health plan should cover the costs. PAs are commonly required for medicines that treat rare diseases.

The requirements for a PA will differ from health plan to health plan. Your office must complete and submit all required forms and provide other information and documents requested.

keyboard

Some of the items commonly required for a PA are:

  • A letter of medical necessity (downloadable sample below)
  • Health plan identification numbers
  • Confirmation of diagnosis, including test results
  • Your patient’s medical history, including previously tried and failed medications and lifestyle modifications
  • Medical articles about the disease and the Amgen medicine being prescribed
  • Plan-specific PA forms (when applicable)

Appeal


If a PA Is Denied, an Appeal Can Be Submitted

An appeal letter may be needed if a PA for PROCYSBI is denied. When writing an appeal letter, ensure that you address the specific details of the denial reason(s). Refer to the letter of denial for specific language regarding the reason and address any patient-specific concerns.

Supplemental documentation may include:

  • Relevant clinical notes for your patient
  • Recent test results
  • Supporting scientific publications/journal articles
  • A summary of your recommendation at the end of the letter
  • A letter of medical necessity

Make sure you match the exact language in the denial letter. It is imperative to address the specifics of the denial in the appeal. Before you submit your appeal, make sure to:

  • Check for any incomplete or missing information, a common reason for denial
  • Schedule a peer-to-peer meeting with health plan stated guidelines
  • Contact a Case Manager to learn about additional resources and next steps in the process

INDICATION and IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

INDICATION

PROCYSBI (cysteamine bitartrate) delayed-release capsules and delayed-release oral granules is a cystine-depleting agent indicated for the treatment of nephropathic cystinosis in adults and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

CONTRAINDICATIONS

  • Patients with serious hypersensitivity reaction, including anaphylaxis to penicillamine or cysteamine.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

  • Ehlers-Danlos-like Syndrome: Skin and bone lesions that resemble clinical findings for Ehlers-Danlos-like syndrome have been reported in patients treated with high doses of immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate or other cysteamine salts. Monitor patients for development of skin or bone lesions and reduce PROCYSBI dosing if patients develop these lesions.
  • Skin Rash: Severe skin rashes such as erythema multiforme bullosa or toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported in patients receiving immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate. Discontinue use if severe skin rash occurs.
  • Gastrointestinal (GI) Ulcers and Bleeding: GI ulceration and bleeding have been reported in patients receiving immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate. Monitor for GI symptoms and consider decreasing the dose if severe symptoms occur.
  • Fibrosing Colonopathy: Fibrosing colonopathy has been reported with postmarketing use of PROCYSBI. Evaluate patients with severe, persistent, and/or worsening abdominal symptoms for fibrosing colonopathy. If the diagnosis is confirmed, permanently discontinue PROCYSBI and switch to immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate capsules.
  • Central Nervous System (CNS) Symptoms: CNS symptoms such as seizures, lethargy, somnolence, depression, and encephalopathy have been associated with immediate-release cysteamine. Monitor for CNS symptoms; interrupt or reduce the dose for severe symptoms or those that persist or progress.
  • Leukopenia and/or Elevated Alkaline Phosphatase Levels: Cysteamine has been associated with reversible leukopenia and elevated alkaline phosphatase levels. Monitor white blood cell counts and alkaline phosphatase levels; decrease or discontinue the dose until values revert to normal.
  • Benign lntracranial Hypertension: Benign intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri; PTC) and/or papilledema has been reported in patients receiving immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate treatment. Monitor for signs and symptoms of PTC; interrupt or reduce the dose for signs/symptoms that persist, or discontinue if diagnosis is confirmed.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse reactions reported in PROCYSBI clinical trials (≥ 5%) were:

 

  • Patients 2 years of age and older previously treated with cysteamine: vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, headache, conjunctivitis, influenza, gastroenteritis, nasopharyngitis, dehydration, ear infection, upper respiratory tract infection, fatigue, arthralgia, cough, and pain in extremity.
  • Patients 1 year of age and older naïve to cysteamine treatment: vomiting, gastroenteritis/viral gastroenteritis, diarrhea, breath odor, nausea, electrolyte imbalance, headache.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

  • Drugs that increase gastric pH may alter the pharmacokinetics of cysteamine due to the premature release of cysteamine from PROCYSBI and increase WBC cystine concentration. Monitor WBC cystine concentration with concomitant use.
  • Consumption of alcohol with PROCYSBI may increase the rate of cysteamine release and/or adversely alter the pharmacokinetic properties, as well as the effectiveness and safety of PROCYSBI.
  • PROCYSBI can be administered with electrolyte (except bicarbonate) and mineral replacements necessary for management of Fanconi Syndrome as well as vitamin D and thyroid hormone.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

  • Lactation: Because of the potential risk for serious adverse reactions in breastfed children from cysteamine, breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with PROCYSBI.

Please see Full Prescribing Information.

INDICATION and IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

INDICATION

PROCYSBI (cysteamine bitartrate) delayed-release capsules and delayed-release oral granules is a cystine-depleting agent indicated for the treatment of nephropathic cystinosis in adults and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

CONTRAINDICATIONS

  • Patients with serious hypersensitivity reaction, including anaphylaxis to penicillamine or cysteamine.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

  • Ehlers-Danlos-like Syndrome: Skin and bone lesions that resemble clinical findings for Ehlers-Danlos-like syndrome have been reported in patients treated with high doses of immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate or other cysteamine salts. Monitor patients for development of skin or bone lesions and reduce PROCYSBI dosing if patients develop these lesions.
  • Skin Rash: Severe skin rashes such as erythema multiforme bullosa or toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported in patients receiving immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate. Discontinue use if severe skin rash occurs.
  • Gastrointestinal (GI) Ulcers and Bleeding: GI ulceration and bleeding have been reported in patients receiving immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate. Monitor for GI symptoms and consider decreasing the dose if severe symptoms occur.
  • Fibrosing Colonopathy: Fibrosing colonopathy has been reported with postmarketing use of PROCYSBI. Evaluate patients with severe, persistent, and/or worsening abdominal symptoms for fibrosing colonopathy. If the diagnosis is confirmed, permanently discontinue PROCYSBI and switch to immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate capsules.
  • Central Nervous System (CNS) Symptoms: CNS symptoms such as seizures, lethargy, somnolence, depression, and encephalopathy have been associated with immediate-release cysteamine. Monitor for CNS symptoms; interrupt or reduce the dose for severe symptoms or those that persist or progress.
  • Leukopenia and/or Elevated Alkaline Phosphatase Levels: Cysteamine has been associated with reversible leukopenia and elevated alkaline phosphatase levels. Monitor white blood cell counts and alkaline phosphatase levels; decrease or discontinue the dose until values revert to normal.
  • Benign lntracranial Hypertension: Benign intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri; PTC) and/or papilledema has been reported in patients receiving immediate-release cysteamine bitartrate treatment. Monitor for signs and symptoms of PTC; interrupt or reduce the dose for signs/symptoms that persist, or discontinue if diagnosis is confirmed.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse reactions reported in PROCYSBI clinical trials (≥ 5%) were:

  • Patients 2 years of age and older previously treated with cysteamine: vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, headache, conjunctivitis, influenza, gastroenteritis, nasopharyngitis, dehydration, ear infection, upper respiratory tract infection, fatigue, arthralgia, cough, and pain in extremity.
  • Patients 1 year of age and older naïve to cysteamine treatment: vomiting, gastroenteritis/viral gastroenteritis, diarrhea, breath odor, nausea, electrolyte imbalance, headache.

DRUG INTERACTIONS

  • Drugs that increase gastric pH may alter the pharmacokinetics of cysteamine due to the premature release of cysteamine from PROCYSBI and increase WBC cystine concentration. Monitor WBC cystine concentration with concomitant use.
  • Consumption of alcohol with PROCYSBI may increase the rate of cysteamine release and/or adversely alter the pharmacokinetic properties, as well as the effectiveness and safety of PROCYSBI.
  • PROCYSBI can be administered with electrolyte (except bicarbonate) and mineral replacements necessary for management of Fanconi Syndrome as well as vitamin D and thyroid hormone.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

  • Lactation: Because of the potential risk for serious adverse reactions in breastfed children from cysteamine, breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with PROCYSBI.

Please see Full Prescribing Information.