Selexipag (Uptravi) Form
Selexipag (Uptravi®) is a prostacyclin receptor agonist.
FDA Approved Indication(s)
Uptravi is indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (World Health
Organization [WHO] Group 1) to delay disease progression and reduce the risk of hospitalization
for PAH.
Effectiveness was established in a long-term study in PAH patients with WHO Functional Class
II-III symptoms. Patients had idiopathic and heritable PAH (58%), PAH associated with
connective tissue disease (29%), and PAH associated with congenital heart disease with repaired
shunts (10%).
Policy/Criteria
Provider must submit documentation (such as office chart notes, lab results or other clinical
information) supporting that member has met all approval criteria.
It is the policy of health plans affiliated with Centene Corporation® that Uptravi is medically
necessary when the following criteria are met:
I. Initial Approval Criteria
A. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (must meet all):
- Diagnosis of PAH;
- Prescribed by or in consultation with a cardiologist or pulmonologist;
- Failure of a calcium channel blocker (see Appendix B), unless member meets one of
the following (a or b):
a. Inadequate response or contraindication to acute vasodilator testing; b. Contraindication or clinically significant adverse effects to calcium channel blockers are experienced;
- If request is for intravenous Uptravi, member is temporarily unable to take oral therapy;
Dose does not exceed one of the following (a or b) (concomitant administration with CYP2C8 inducers (e.g., rifampin) require higher doses): a. 3,200 mcg per day (oral formulation); b. 3,600 mcg per day (intravenous formulation). if request is for titration, provider must submit a titration plan Page 1 of 8
CLINICAL POLICY
Selexipag Approval duration:
Medicaid/HIM – 6 months
Commercial – 12 months or duration of request, whichever is less B. Other diagnoses/indications (must meet 1 or 2):- If this drug has recently (within the last 6 months) undergone a label change (e.g., newly approved indication, age expansion, new dosing regimen) that is not yet reflected in this policy, refer to one of the following policies (a or b): a. For drugs on the formulary (commercial, health insurance marketplace) or PDL (Medicaid), the no coverage criteria policy for the relevant line of business: CP.CPA.190 for commercial, HIM.PA.33 for health insurance marketplace, and CP.PMN.255 for Medicaid; or b. For drugs NOT on the formulary (commercial, health insurance marketplace) or PDL (Medicaid), the non-formulary policy for the relevant line of business: CP.CPA.190 for commercial, HIM.PA.103 for health insurance marketplace, and CP.PMN.16 for Medicaid; or
- If the requested use (e.g., diagnosis, age, dosing regimen) is NOT specifically listed
under section III (Diagnoses/Indications for which coverage is NOT authorized) AND
criterion 1 above does not apply, refer to the off-label use policy for the relevant line
of business: CP.CPA.09 for commercial, HIM.PA.154 for health insurance
marketplace, and CP.PMN.53 for Medicaid.
II. Continued Therapy A. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (must meet all):- Member meets one of the following (a or b): a. Currently receiving medication via Centene benefit or member has previously met initial approval criteria; b. Member is currently receiving medication and is enrolled in a state and product with continuity of care regulations (refer to state specific addendums for CC.PHARM.03A and CC.PHARM.03B);
- Member is responding positively to therapy;
- If request is for intravenous Uptravi, member is temporarily unable to take oral therapy;
If request is for a dose increase, new dose does not exceed one of the following (a or b) (concomitant administration with CYP2C8 inducers (e.g., rifampin) require higher doses):* a. 3,200 mcg per day (oral formulation); c. 3,600 mcg per day (intravenous formulation).
- if request is for titration, provider must submit a titration plan
Approval duration:
Medicaid/HIM – 12 months Commercial – 12 months or duration of request, whichever is less Page 2 of 8
CLINICAL POLICY
Selexipag B. Other diagnoses/indications (must meet 1 or 2):- if request is for titration, provider must submit a titration plan
Approval duration:
- If this drug has recently (within the last 6 months) undergone a label change (e.g., newly approved indication, age expansion, new dosing regimen) that is not yet reflected in this policy, refer to one of the following policies (a or b): a. For drugs on the formulary (commercial, health insurance marketplace) or PDL (Medicaid), the no coverage criteria policy for the relevant line of business: CP.CPA.190 for commercial, HIM.PA.33 for health insurance marketplace, and CP.PMN.255 for Medicaid; or b. For drugs NOT on the formulary (commercial, health insurance marketplace) or PDL (Medicaid), the non-formulary policy for the relevant line of business: CP.CPA.190 for commercial, HIM.PA.103 for health insurance marketplace, and CP.PMN.16 for Medicaid; or
If the requested use (e.g., diagnosis, age, dosing regimen) is NOT specifically listed under section III (Diagnoses/Indications for which coverage is NOT authorized) AND criterion 1 above does not apply, refer to the off-label use policy for the relevant line of business: CP.CPA.09 for commercial, HIM.PA.154 for health insurance marketplace, and CP.PMN.53 for Medicaid.
III. Diagnoses/Indications for which coverage is NOT authorized:
A. Non-FDA approved indications, which are not addressed in this policy, unless there is sufficient documentation of efficacy and safety according to the off label use policies – CP.CPA.09 for commercial, HIM.PA.154 for health insurance marketplace, and CP.PMN.53 for Medicaid, or evidence of coverage documents. IV. Appendices/General Information Appendix A: Abbreviation/Acronym Key CTEPH: chronic thromboembolic
pulmonary hypertension FC: functional class FDA: Food and Drug Administration
NYHA: New York Heart Association PA: physical activity PAH: pulmonary arterial hypertension PH: pulmonary hypertension WHO: World Health Organization Appendix B: Therapeutic Alternatives
This table provides a listing of preferred alternative therapy recommended in the approval criteria. The drugs listed here may not be a formulary agent and may require prior authorization.
Drug Name Dosing Regimen 60 mg PO QD; may increase to 120 to 240 mg/day 720 to 960 mg PO QD Dose Limit/ Maximum Dose 240 mg/day 960 mg/day nifedipine (Adalat® CC, Procardia XL®) diltiazem (Dilacor XR®, Dilt-XR®, Cardizem® CD, Cartia XT®, Tiazac®, Taztia XT®, Cardizem® LA, Matzim® LA) amlodipine (Norvasc®) 20 to 30 mg PO QD 30 mg/day Page 3 of 8CLINICAL POLICY
Selexipag Therapeutic alternatives are listed as Brand name® (generic) when the drug is available by brand name only and generic (Brand name®) when the drug is available by both brand and generic. Appendix C: Contraindication/Boxed Warnings • Contraindication(s): concomitant use with strong CYP2C8 inhibitors (e.g., gemfibrozil); hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients • Boxed warning(s): none reported Appendix D: Pulmonary Hypertension: WHO Classification • Group 1: PAH
• Group 2: PH due to left heart disease • Group 3: PH due to lung disease and/or hypoxemia • Group 4: CTEPH • Group 5: PH due to unclear multifactorial mechanisms Appendix E: Pulmonary Hypertension: WHO/NYHA Functional Classes (FC) Treatment Approach* Status at Rest FC Heart Failure I Comfortable at rest PA Limitations Tolerance of Physical Activity (PA) No limitation Ordinary PA does not cause undue dyspnea or fatigue, chest pain, or near syncope. Monitoring for progression of PH and treatment of co- existing conditions Advanced treatment of PH with PH- targeted therapy- see Appendix
F
II
III
IV
Comfortable
at rest
Slight
limitation
Comfortable
at rest
Marked
limitation
Dyspnea or
fatigue may
be present at
rest
Inability to
carry out any
PA without
symptoms
Ordinary PA causes
undue dyspnea or
fatigue, chest pain, or
near syncope.
Less than ordinary PA
causes undue dyspnea
or fatigue, chest pain,
or near syncope.
Discomfort is
increased by any PA.
Signs of right heart failure *PH supportive measures may include diuretics, oxygen therapy, anticoagulation, digoxin, exercise, pneumococcal vaccination. Advanced treatment options also include calcium channel blockers. Drug Class Appendix F: Pulmonary Hypertension: Targeted Therapies Mechanism of Action Reduction of Prostacyclin* pathway agonist Drug Subclass Prostacyclin Drug Brand/Generic Formulations Epoprostenol Veletri (IV) Flolan (IV) Page 4 of 8
CLINICAL POLICY
Selexipag Mechanism of Action pulmonary arterial pressure through vasodilation Drug Class Drug Subclass Drug Brand/Generic Formulations Flolan generic (IV) *Member of the prostanoid class of fatty acid derivatives. Synthetic prostacyclin analog Endothelin receptor antagonist (ETRA) Nitric oxide- cyclic guanosine monophosphate enhancer Non-prostanoid prostacyclin receptor (IP receptor) agonist Selective receptor antagonist Nonselective dual action receptor antagonist Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor Guanylate cyclase stimulant (sGC) Treprostinil Orenitram (oral tablet) Remodulin (IV) Tyvaso (inhalation) Ventavis (inhalation) Uptravi (oral tablet) Iloprost Selexipag Ambrisentan Letairis (oral Bosentan Macitentan Sildenafil Tadalafil Riociguat tablet) Tracleer (oral tablet) Opsumit (oral tablet) Revatio (IV, oral tablet, oral suspension) Adcirca (oral tablet) Adempas (oral tablet) V. Dosage and Administration
Indication Dosing Regimen PAH Tablet: 200 mcg PO BID, increased at weekly intervals to highest tolerated dose up to 1,600 mcg BID Maximum Dose Tablets: 3,200 mcg/day Injection: IV BID at a dose that corresponds to the patient’s current dose of Uptravi tablets Injection: 3,600 mcg/day VI. Product Availability
• Tablets: 200 mcg, 400 mcg, 600 mg, 800 mg, 1,000 mcg, 1,200 mcg, 1,400 mcg, 1,600 mcg • Single-dose vial for injection: 1800 mcg/10 mL
VII.- see Appendix
F
II
III
IV
Comfortable
at rest
Slight
limitation
Comfortable
at rest
Marked
limitation
Dyspnea or
fatigue may
be present at
rest
Inability to
carry out any
PA without
symptoms
Ordinary PA causes
undue dyspnea or
fatigue, chest pain, or
near syncope.
Less than ordinary PA
causes undue dyspnea
or fatigue, chest pain,
or near syncope.
Discomfort is
increased by any PA.