Coram Prescription Services Enters Into Agreement With Roche Laboratories, Inc. to Administer Patient Start Program for Oncology Medication
ORLANDO, Fla.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 20, 2000--Coram Prescription Services (CPS), the Orlando, Fla.-based specialty mail order pharmaceutical division of Coram Healthcare (NYSE:CRH), today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Roche Laboratories, Inc. to conduct a patient start program for the oral oncology medication, Xeloda.
Under the agreement, which becomes effective January 1, 2000, CPS will provide, upon physician prescription, a starter kit with medications. CPS also will offer patients counseling on dosing as well as other information and assistance, as needed.
The patient start program is sponsored by Roche, makers of Xeloda. Xeloda is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer resistant to both paclitaxel and an anthracycline-containing chemotherapy regimen or resistant to paclitaxel and for whom further anthracycline therapy is not indicated.
"We are pleased to work with Roche on the Xeloda patient start program. CPS will help bridge the gap between physician and patient for specialty pharmaceutical care and services. Furthermore, this agreement demonstrates CPS' reputation in the provision of specialty pharmaceuticals and draws upon our leadership role in the marketplace. We look forward to providing these patients all the tools necessary to begin treatment with this medication," said Dom Meffe, CPS president.
Nutley, N.J.-based Roche Laboratories, Inc. is a leading research-intensive pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets numerous important prescription drugs that improve, prolong, and save the lives of patients with serious illnesses. Among the company's areas of therapeutic interest are: Virology, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C; Infectious diseases, including influenza; Cardiology; Neurology; Oncology; Transplantation; Dermatology and Metabolic Diseases including obesity and diabetes.
The company provides a wide range of medications in the United States through its marketing and sales subsidiary, Roche Laboratories, Inc. Headquartered in Nutley, N.J., both companies are members of the Basel, Switzerland-based Roche Group, a global leader in health care with principal businesses in pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, vitamins, and fragrances and flavors.
CPS, a subsidiary of Denver-based Coram Healthcare, provides pharmacy benefit management services as well as mail order prescription drugs for chronically ill patients. Coram Healthcare is a leading provider of high-quality home infusion therapy operating from approximately 88 branches in 44 states and Ontario, Canada. For more information, please visit the Company's web site at www.coramhealthcare.com |
