CVS Health will provide preferred access to Amgen's Repatha (evolocumab) through its CVS/caremark commercial formularies.

"Ensuring access to Repatha for appropriate patients is among Amgen's highest priorities," said Anthony C. Hooper, EVP of Global Commercial Operations at Amgen. "Value-based partnerships are a key area of focus for Amgen, and Repatha gave us a great opportunity to offer value-based contracts that address payers' concerns by linking the net price of Repatha to expected LDL cholesterol reductions and anticipated appropriate patient utilization. This is an important milestone for patients, and we will continue to engage constructively with other payers to enable patients to have access to Repatha."

Repatha, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Aug. 27, is indicated as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), who require additional lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); and as an adjunct to diet and other LDL-lowering therapies for the treatment of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), who require additional lowering of LDL-C. The effect of Repatha on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.

Elevated LDL-C is an abnormality of cholesterol and/or fats in the blood. In the U.S., there are approximately 11 million people with ASCVD and/or familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), who have uncontrolled levels of LDL-C over 70 mg/dL, despite treatment with statins or other cholesterol-lowering therapies, according to Amgen. Familial hypercholesterolemia is caused by genetic mutations that lead to high levels of LDL-C at an early age.6 It is estimated that one million people in the U.S. have FH (heterozygous and homozygous forms), yet less than one percent are diagnosed.7

Amgen will provide personalized support services for patients and providers in the U.S. through its RepathaReady program, a comprehensive suite of services developed to help patients and providers, including one or more months of free Repatha through the Repatha Patient Start Program while insurance coverage is pending; the Repatha $5 co-pay card for eligible commercial patients; insurance coverage support; and injection training for patients. Amgen also provides patient assistance for its medicines marketed in the U.S. in a variety of ways, including free medicines through The Safety Net Foundation for qualifying individuals with no or limited drug coverage.

About Repatha (evolocumab)
Repatha (evolocumab) is a human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). Repatha binds to PCSK9 and inhibits circulating PCSK9 from binding to the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR), preventing PCSK9-mediated LDLR degradation and permitting LDLR to recycle back to the liver cell surface. By inhibiting the binding of PCSK9 to LDLR, Repatha increases the number of LDLRs available to clear LDL from the blood, thereby lowering LDL-C levels.

About Amgen
Amgen focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and leverages its biologics manufacturing expertise to strive for solutions that improve health outcomes and dramatically improve people's lives.