AVONEX, Interferon Beta-1a REBIF, Interferon Beta-1a Form

Interferon beta-1a (Avonex®, Rebif®) is an amino acid glycoprotein. FDA Approved Indication(s) Avonex and Rebif are indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), to include clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease, in adults. 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 Avonex and Rebif are medically necessary when the following criteria are met:
I. Initial Approval Criteria
A. Multiple Sclerosis (must meet all):

1. Diagnosis of one of the following (a, b, or c): a. Clinically isolated syndrome; b. Relapsing-remitting MS; c. Secondary progressive MS;
2. Prescribed by or in consultation with a neurologist;
   3. Age is one of the following (a or b): a. Rebif: ≥ 2 years; b. Avonex: ≥ 18 years;
3. Interferon beta-1a is not prescribed concurrently with other disease modifying therapies for MS (see Appendix D);
4. Documentation of both baseline number of relapses per year and expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score;

5. Dose does not exceed one of the following (a or b): a. Avonex: 30 mcg per week (1 syringe/autoinjector per week); b. Rebif (i and ii):
   i. 44 mcg three times per week; ii. 1 syringe/autoinjector three times per week. Approval duration:
   Medicaid/HIM – 6 months Commercial – 6 months or to the member’s renewal date, whichever is longer Page 1 of 7

   CLINICAL POLICY Interferon Beta-1a B. Other diagnoses/indications (must meet 1 or 2):

6. 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
7. 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. Multiple Sclerosis (must meet all):
8. 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);
   2. Member meets one of the following (a or b): a. If member has received < 1 year of total treatment: Member is responding positively to therapy; b. If member has received ≥ 1 year of total treatment: Member meets one of the following (i, ii, iii, or iv): i. Member has not had an increase in the number of relapses per year compared to baseline; ii. Member has not had ≥ 2 new MRI-detected lesions; iii. Member has not had an increase in EDSS score from baseline; iv. Medical justification supports that member is responding positively to therapy;
9. Interferon beta-1a is not prescribed concurrently with other disease modifying therapies for MS (see Appendix D);

10. If request is for a dose increase, new dose does not exceed one of the following (a or b):
    a. Avonex: 30 mcg per week (1 syringe/autoinjector per week); b. Rebif (i and ii):
    i. 44 mcg three times per week; ii. 1 syringe/autoinjector three times per week. Page 2 of 7

    CLINICAL POLICY Interferon Beta-1a Approval duration:
    Medicaid/HIM –
    If member has received < 1 year of total treatment – up to a total of 12 months of treatment If member has received ≥ 1 year of total treatment – 12 months Commercial – 6 months or to the member’s renewal date, whichever is longer B. Other diagnoses/indications (must meet 1 or 2):

11. 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

12. 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 policy – CP.CPA.09 for commercial, HIM.PA.154 for health insurance marketplace, and CP.PMN.53 for Medicaid or evidence of coverage documents; B. Primary progressive MS. Appendices/General Information Appendix A: Abbreviation/Acronym Key EDSS: expanded disability status scale
    FDA: Food and Drug Administration MS: multiple sclerosis Appendix B: Therapeutic Alternatives
    Not applicable Appendix C: Contraindications/Boxed Warnings • Contraindication(s): history of hypersensitivity to natural or recombinant interferon beta, albumin or any other component of the formulation The formerly available lyophilized vial formulation of Avonex is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to albumin (human). This contraindication does not apply to the other Avonex formulations. Page 3 of 7

    CLINICAL POLICY Interferon Beta-1a • Boxed warning(s): none reported Appendix D: General Information • Disease-modifying therapies for MS are: glatiramer acetate (Copaxone®, Glatopa®), interferon beta-1a (Avonex®, Rebif®), interferon beta-1b (Betaseron®, Extavia®), peginterferon beta-1a (Plegridy®), dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera®), diroximel fumarate (Vumerity®), monomethyl fumarate (Bafiertam™), fingolimod (Gilenya®, Tascenso ODT™), teriflunomide (Aubagio®), alemtuzumab (Lemtrada®), mitoxantrone (Novantrone®), natalizumab (Tysabri®), ocrelizumab (Ocrevus®), cladribine (Mavenclad®), siponimod (Mayzent®), ozanimod (Zeposia®), ponesimod (Ponvory™), ublituximab-xiiy (Briumvi™), and ofatumumab (Kesimpta®). IV. Dosage and Administration
    Drug Name Interferon beta-1a (Avonex) Interferon beta-1a (Rebif) Dosing Regimen 30 mcg IM Q week; may be titrated starting with 7.5 mcg for the first week, increased by 7.5 mcg each week for 3 weeks until target of 30 mcg is reached Initial dose at 20% of prescribed dose TIW increased over 4 weeks to the targeted dose of either 22 mcg or 44 mcg SC TIW
    Maximum Dose 30 mcg/week 44 mcg TIW V. Product Availability
    Drug Name Interferon beta-1a (Avonex) Interferon beta-1a (Rebif) Availability Single-use prefilled autoinjector or syringe: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Single-dose autoinjector or prefilled syringe: 8.8 mcg/0.2 mL, 22 mcg/0.5 mL, 44 mcg/0.5 mL VI.