BMS adds discounted psoriasis drug to its DTC channel

Bristol Myers Squibb has expanded its direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales of medicines in the US with the addition of its psoriasis therapy Sotyktu.

It is the second drug to be added to the programme, which started in July with its anticoagulant Eliquis (apixaban) and follows the launch of similar initiatives at Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer in what IQVIA recently called a "seismic shift" in the US pharma market.

All of the DTC channels offer discounts for people willing and able to pay for medicines with cash, and that also applies to Sotyktu (deucravacitinib), which, from January, will be available at a discount of more than 80% off its near-$7,000 per month US list price, bringing it down to $950 for a 30-day supply.

The BMS Patient Connect platform is "designed to make our innovative medicines more accessible and affordable for patients living with serious conditions," commented the company's chief executive, Chris Boerner.

"We are taking a leading role in removing barriers, providing transparency and lowering out-of-pocket costs so patients in the US can get the treatments they need – delivered directly to their door, wherever they are in the country," he added.

Along with delivery of the drugs to any state in the US, plus Puerto Rico, BMS Patient Connect will also provide patient support resources. The company said it may expand the use of the programme for other medicines that are "appropriate for this model in the future."

According to IQVIA, the shift to DTC selling is a consequence of pressure on pharma's traditional model of selling through wholesalers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and pharmacies – with calls for greater transparency and a squeeze on net prices through measures like Medicare negotiations. That has led companies to explore "alternative channels to preserve revenue and control the patient experience."

DTC allows them to sidestep PBM rebates and retail markups, offering competitive prices, while retaining more of the transaction value. On the other hand, it has raised concerns about pharma's influencing prescriber behaviour and potential implications on data privacy and patient trust.

Tyk2 inhibitor Sotyktu was approved by the FDA as a first-in-class treatment for plaque psoriasis in 2022, and made $126 million in sales in the first six months of the year, of which $75 million were booked in the US.

BMS has also filed the drug for FDA approval as a treatment for psoriatic arthritis and is running late-stage clinical trials in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's Syndrome. The company has projected peak sales for the brand of around $4 billion a year.

Image by Eszter Miller from Pixabay