Opicapone (Ongentys) Form


Opicapone (Ongentys)

Notes: Approval duration for initial therapy is 6 months. Continued therapy approvals last 12 months and require documenting positive response to therapy.

Indications

(838447) Has the patient been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease? 
(838448) Is the prescribing physician a neurologist or was the prescription made in consultation with a neurologist? 
(838449) Is the patient aged 18 years or older? 
(838450) Is the patient experiencing 'off' episodes on levodopa/carbidopa therapy? 
(838451) Has the patient experienced failure with two adjunct drugs from different classes prescribed in combination with levodopa/carbidopa, unless contraindicated or significant adverse effects were experienced? 

YesNoN/A
YesNoN/A
YesNoN/A

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Effective Date

09/01/2020

Last Reviewed

08/22

Original Document

  Reference



Opicapone (Ongentys®) is a catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor. FDA Approved Indication(s) Ongentys is indicated as adjunctive treatment to levodopa/carbidopa in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experiencing “off” episodes. 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 Ongentys is medically necessary when the following criteria are met:
I. Initial Approval Criteria
A. Parkinson’s Disease (must meet all):

  1. Diagnosis of PD;
    1. Prescribed by or in consultation with an neurologist;
    2. Age ≥ 18 years;
    3. Member is experiencing “off” time (see Appendix D) on levodopa/carbidopa therapy;
    4. Failure of two of the following adjunct drugs prescribed in combination with levodopa/carbidopa, each from different classes, unless contraindicated or clinically significant adverse effects are experienced: a. MAO-B inhibitor: rasagiline; b. COMT inhibitor: entacapone (Comtan®, Stalevo®), tolcapone; c. Dopamine agonist: ropinirole/ropinirole ER, pramipexole/pramipexole ER; Prior authorization may be required for the above agents
    5. Prescribed in combination with levodopa/carbidopa;
    6. Dose does not exceed 50 mg (1 capsule) per day. Approval duration: 6 months B. Other diagnoses/indications (must meet 1 or 2):
  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: Page 1 of 6

    CLINICAL POLICY Opicapone 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

  3. 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. Parkinson’s Disease (must meet all):
  4. 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);
    1. Member is responding positively to therapy;
    2. If request is for a dose increase, new dose does not exceed 50 mg (1 capsule) per day. Approval duration: 12 months B. Other diagnoses/indications (must meet 1 or 2):
  5. 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
  6. 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 – Page 2 of 6

    CLINICAL POLICY Opicapone 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 COMT: catechol-O-methyl transferase FDA: Food and Drug Administration Appendix B: Therapeutic Alternatives
    Drug Name Dosing Regimen MAO-B: monoamine oxidase type B PD: Parkinson’s disease
    Dose Limit/ Maximum Dose 1,200 mg/day of levodopa (divided doses) 1,600 mg/day (divided doses) 600 mg/day 1 mg/day 4.5 mg/day (divided doses) 4.5 mg/day COMT Inhibitors carbidopa/levodopa/ entacapone (Stalevo®) PO: Dose should be individualized based on therapeutic response; doses may be adjusted by changing strength or adjusting interval. Fractionated doses are not recommended and only 1 tablet should be given at each dosing interval. PO: 200 mg with each dose of levodopa/carbidopa entacapone (Comtan®) tolcapone (Tasmar®) PO: 100 mg 3 times daily, as adjunct to MAO-B Inhibitors rasagiline (Azilect®) Dopamine Agonists pramipexole (Mirapex®) pramipexole ER (Mirapex® ER) levodopa/carbidopa PO: Monotherapy or adjunctive therapy (not including levodopa): 1 mg once daily. Adjunctive therapy with levodopa: Initial: 0.5 mg once daily; may increase to 1 mg once daily based on response and tolerability.
    PO: Initial dose: 0.125 mg 3 times daily, increase gradually every 5 to 7 days; maintenance (usual): 0.5 to 1.5 mg 3 times daily PO: Initial dose: 0.375 mg once daily; increase gradually not more frequently than every 5 to 7 days to 0.75 mg once daily and then, if necessary, by 0.75 mg per dose Page 3 of 6

    CLINICAL POLICY Opicapone Drug Name Dosing Regimen ropinirole (Requip®) ropinirole ER (Requip® ER) PO: Recommended starting dose: 0.25 mg 3 times/day. Based on individual patient response, the dosage should be titrated with weekly increments: Week 1: 0.25 mg 3 times/day; total daily dose: 0.75 mg; week 2: 0.5 mg 3 times/day; total daily dose: 1.5 mg; week 3: 0.75 mg 3 times/day; total daily dose: 2.25 mg; week 4: 1 mg 3 times/day; total daily dose: 3 mg. After week 4, if necessary, daily dosage may be increased by 1.5 mg/day on a weekly basis up to a dose of 9 mg/day, and then by up to 3 mg/day weekly to a total of 24 mg/day.
    PO: Initial dose: 2 mg once daily for 1 to 2 weeks, followed by increases of 2 mg/day at weekly or longer intervals based on therapeutic response and tolerability Dose Limit/ Maximum Dose 24 mg/day (divided doses) 24 mg/day 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: Contraindications/Boxed Warnings • Contraindication(s):
    o Concomitant use of non-selective MAO inhibitors. o History of pheochromocytoma, paraganglioma, or other catecholamine secreting neoplasms.
    • Boxed warning(s): none reported Appendix D: General Information • Off time/episodes represent a return of PD symptoms (bradykinesia, rest tremor or rigidity) when the L-dopa treatment effect wears off after each dosing interval.
    • PD symptoms, resulting from too little levodopa (L-dopa), are in contrast with dyskinesia which typically results from too much L-dopa. The alterations between “on” time (the time when PD symptoms are successfully suppressed by L-dopa) and “off” time is known as “motor fluctuations”. • The addition of carbidopa to L-dopa prevents conversion of L-dopa to dopamine in the systemic circulation and liver. V. Dosage and Administration
    Indication PD Dosing Regimen 50 mg PO QD at bedtime Maximum Dose 50 mg/day VI. Product Availability
    Capsules: 25 mg, 50 mg Page 4 of 6

    CLINICAL POLICY Opicapone VII.