ORLANDO, FL, July 26, 2016 — Hemophilia patients can be managed with less factor VIII without affecting outcomes and saving significant costs, suggests a study being presented at the World Federation of Hemophilia 2016 World Congress meeting today in Orlando.

The Option Care study included 77 hemophilia A patients receiving home infusion of factor VIII. They received an average of 102 units of factor VIII per week, vs. the national average of 108 units per week, translating into a cost savings of $21,165 per patient each year. The annual bleed rate (ABR) — the number of bleeds a patient experiences a year — for these patients was 1.7, less than the average ABR which ranges from 2 to 5, according to a recent review of research on hemophilia treatment strategies.

“By working with prescribers to closely monitor bleeds and collaborate on clinically appropriate optimization of treatment dose, Option Care’s utilization of factor VIII is less than the average with excellent outcomes,” said Joan Couden, national program director for Option Care’s Bleeding Disorders Program. “Our findings show we can save payers, including Medicare, Medicaid and managed care insurers, significant costs without negatively impacting annual bleed rates.”

People with hemophilia are missing blood clotting proteins that control bleeding. Treatment involves infusion of factor VIII, which helps blood clot and stops the bleeding. Many people with the condition receive factor VIII three to four times a week to prevent or reduce bleeding. Treatment success is evaluated by assessing the ABR. The fewer the bleeds, the more successful the treatment.

In addition to providing factor VIII to prevent bleeds, when bleeding does occur it’s vital to treat bleeds as quickly as possible to help reduce pain and damage to the joints, muscles and organs. When bleeding is treated quickly, less blood product is needed to stop the bleeding, Couden said.

Currently, clotting factor is paid on a per unit basis, which gives a financial incentive to provide more product, even though that doesn’t translate into better care, she said. Payers may want to consider different reimbursement strategies to reduce the incentive to dispense more factor VIII, she notes.

Patient and provider support and education are key components of Option Care’s Bleeding Disorders (BD) Home Infusion Plus program, which follows a multidisciplinary team approach to care. The program features personalized clinical care that is anchored by a dedicated BD- certified nurse and pharmacist. Each patient receives a disease-specific customized care plan that is focused solely on meeting the needs of the patient and his or her care team. Physicians and healthcare providers are provided detailed reports of each patient’s status, including location and severity of bleeding, treatment outcomes and adherence.

About Option Care

Option Care Enterprises, Inc. (Option Care) is one of the nation’s largest and most trusted providers of home and alternate treatment site infusion services. An industry leader, the company draws on nearly 40 years of clinical care experience to offer patient-centered therapy management. Option Care’s signature Home Infusion Plus services include the clinical management of infusion medicines, nursing support and care coordination. Option Care’s multidisciplinary team of more than 1,800 clinicians — including pharmacists, nurses and dietitians — are able to provide home infusion service coverage for nearly all patients across the United States needing treatment for complex and chronic conditions. Learn more at www.OptionCare.com.

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DEERFIELD, Ill. — Option Care Enterprises, Inc., an independent infusion services company, has been selected as a contracted provider of Coagadex ® (Coagulation Factor X Human), the first and only treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for hereditary factor X deficiency, a rare and serious bleeding disorder. Coagadex is manufactured by Bio Products Laboratory, Ltd.

Coagadex is an injectable medication provided to patients with hereditary factor X deficiency for the controlling of bleeding episodes or management of surgery-related bleeding. An inherited disorder that prevents the blood from clotting as it should, factor X deficiency currently affects approximately 300 to 600 men and women in the United States. Previously, no specific coagulation factor replacement therapy was available for patients with this condition.

One of the nation’s largest providers of home and alternate treatment site infusion services — including for bleeding disorder management — Option Care was chosen to provide and support the administration of Coagadex due to its ability to provide high-quality clinical support to patients undergoing treatment for complex conditions. The company has the ability to serve patients with hereditary factor X deficiency wherever they are through its 92 infusion pharmacies and 110 alternate treatment sites nationwide.

“We’re honored to work with the bleeding disorders community and are committed to providing these patients the highest quality care, “ said Joan Couden, bleeding disorder program director for Option Care. “Our specially trained infusion nurses and pharmacists have a wealth of experience in caring for patients with rare and complex bleeding disorders. By safely providing therapy, monitoring their progress and working closely with their physicians, our team ensures our patients experience optimal outcomes. “

Coagadex was approved by the FDA on Oct. 20 for on-demand treatment and control of bleeding episodes and for management of bleeding before, during and after surgery in patients with mild hereditary factor X deficiency. It was granted orphan product designation, which is given to promote the development of drugs intended to treat rare diseases. The approval of the purified factor X concentrate increases therapy options for patients with hereditary factor X deficiency, with the goal of replacing their missing X factor without adding other clotting factors they don’t need.

“Option Care’s experience providing patients with access to high-quality, high-touch healthcare services for complex conditions has allowed it to develop programs with biopharmaceutical manufacturers to manage and advance patient care, “ said Matthew Deans, vice president of business development for Option Care. “These manufacturers view Option Care as a partner of choice because of our proven track record of effectively managing patient and physician relationships to help ensure successful outcomes for patients on therapies including those where healthcare professional administration is not just preferred, but required. “

About Option Care

Option Care Enterprises, Inc., formerly Walgreens Infusion Services, Inc., offers clinical care provided by specially trained infusion nurses, pharmacists and dietitians who treat patients with a wide range of acute, chronic and rare conditions. As one of the nation’s largest providers of home and alternate treatment site infusion services, Option Care has 92 infusion pharmacies and 110 alternate treatment sites across the country. Learn more at www.OptionCare.com.

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Media Contact Information

Option Care
Lauren Kotarski
312-558-1770
LKotarski@pcipr.com