Methotrexate Tablets Pre-Read in GQ Magazine

GREAT NEWS : Pharmascience Acquires Methotrexate Tablets from Pfizer !

On March 3, 2016 Pharmascience acquired Methotrexate Tablets from Pfizer, as part of the consent agreement between the Canadian Competition Bureau and Pfizer, related to Pfizer’s acquisition of Hospira in Canada. The Pharmascience Acquisition Team, primarily composed of Jamie Minzberg, Annie Gauthier, Jean-Philippe Charland and Alex Reyes, secured the product rights and closed the purchase in early 2016.

With the acquisition of Methotrexate 2.5 mg Tablets, Pharmascience Canada has an immense opportunity to aggressively compete in the $40M methotrexate market, which is growing and expanding as a standard of therapy to treat cancers and autoimmune diseases.

WHAT IS METHOTREXATE ?

Methotrexate belongs to a group of medicines known as antimetabolites. Methotrexate helps to reduce inflammation resulting in joint swelling. In cancer, methotrexate works by blocking an enzyme process in cancer cells so that they cannot grow. Used in high doses, methotrexate treats certain types of cancers, including breast cancer, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukemia. At lower doses, it may also be used to treat severe psoriasis and severe rheumatoid arthritis.

For psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, initial treatment will be in a divided oral dose schedule: 2.5 mg at 12 hour intervals for three doses usually given as a course once weekly. Dosages in each schedule may be adjusted gradually to achieve an optimal response, but not ordinarily to exceed a total weekly dose of 20 mg.

HOW IS METHOTREXATE AVAILABLE ?

Pharmascience has acquired the oral form of methotrexate, known as the 2.5 mg tablet. Hospira sells a 10 mg tablet however its use and reimbursement is limited. Injectable forms of methotrexate are available as: vials, prefilled syringes and specialty compounded syringes.

In Quebec, a pharmacy may carry all four types of methotrexate: 2.5 mg tablets, vials, MTX PFS and compounded syringe.

Pharmascience will market the Pfizer 2.5 mg tablet under the Pfizer packaging (Pfizer box and label) until Pharmascience has the opportunity to consume inventory and change the packaging.

METHOTREXATE MARKET

Methotrexate tablets are being sold at retail pharmacies by APOTEX and PHARMASCIENCE (Pfizer brand). The Apotex 2.5 mg tablet is supplied through Hospira;  Pharmascience is supplied by Pfizer, under distribution licenses.

APOTEX is the current market leader with over 90% market share of the 2.5 mg tablet business. (TEVA was the ultra-generic of Pfizer methotrexate and has since discontinued.) The methotrexate market continues to grow and expand in therapy due to increase in diseases being  treated and population growth.

DISADVANTAGES of Methotrexate TABLETS

Plateau effect : tablets will reduce in effectiveness as the dose approaches 20 mg

Side effects : stomach and GI irritation

Inconvenient dosing

Cannot be used in pregnancy

Need for increase dosing in refractory treatment

Variable bioavailability

DISADVANTAGES of Methotrexate VIALS

Fear of injection : Patients will need to inject with a needle

Training required to prepare syringe and inject (hard to use)

Time required to prep vial and withdraw into a syringe

Need to store vial in the fridge after opening

Spillage

Difficult to withdraw exact dosage

DISADVANTAGES of Methotrexate COMPOUNDING

Retail pharmacy has to order from the compounder, resulting in delay in patient receiving the medication

Needs to be refrigerated

Only one province widely covers cost of compounding (Quebec)

High acquisition cost vs vial and tablets

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF METHOTREXATE TABLETS ?

Oral tablet. Easy to swallow and dose (3 x 2.5 mg over 12 hours).

Fully reimbursed at $0.63 across all provincial formularies.

Readily available from all pharmacies. Room temperature (15 to 30C) protect from light.

Tablets are not interchangeable with injectable formulations and healthcare professionals will dose for optimal response considering method of administration.

BENEFITS of Methotrexate Tablets : EASY TO USE AND ACCESS

Widely used : Physicians are familiar with methotrexate and know how to use and dose for therapeutic effect.

Available widely through most pharmacies

Covered by all public reimbursements. Patient has little to no incremental cost

Flexible dosing with 2.5 mg tablets

Small pill, easy to swallow

BENEFITS of Methotrexate Tablets : CONVENIENT

Administration. Easy to swallow.

Room storage. No need to refrigerate when travelling or during multi day trips.

Shelf Life : 36 months. Inventory will most likely not expire if cycled properly.

Available widely through most pharmacies.

Packaged in a bottle. Ready-to-use, Protected, sealed and portable.

BENEFITS of Methotrexate Tablets : SAFE

Oral tablet for administration: no need for injection or sharps container.

Ready-to-use, Protected, sealed and portable. Packaged in a 100 tablet bottle.

Dosing exactly as prescribed, no potential for medication overdosage (vs injectable vial).

SUMMARY

Pharmascience now distributes Pfizer Methotrexate (brand) 2.5mg tablets.

Physicians and healthcare professionals are very familiar with methotrexate and its use continues to grow due to increased disease treatment.

Methotrexate is available as tablets (2.5mg), Vials, prefilled syringes and compounded syringes.

Methotrexate 2.5 mg tablets are fully reimbursed on all public formularies and are widely available in retail pharmacies.

Pharmascience has the opportunity to capture a large market share from the market leader APOTEX.