Civica launches unit to market high-cost generic meds

Lehi-based Civica Rx Inc. has launched a new operating unit designed to lower the cost of select high-cost generic medicines. The unit, to be named CivicaScript, will be headed by Gina Guinasso, who comes to Civica from OptumRx, a United Health Group company, where she was senior vice president of commercial and Medicare formulary strategy.

Civica also announced that Anthem Inc., which operates affiliated health plans that provide health coverage to more than 43 million people in the U.S., is joining CivicaScript as a new health insurer partner, joining the entity’s co-founders, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and 17 independent and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies. Combined, CivicaScript partners represent close to 100 million lives.

Catalent Inc., a global drug development and manufacturing company based in Somerset, New Jersey, has entered into a long-term partnership with CivicaScript to produce essential generic medicines that are widely prescribed for patients, Civica’s announcement said.

Civica Rx is a nonprofit organization founded in 2018 by leading health systems, including Salt Lake City’s Intermountain Healthcare, CommonSpirit Health, HCA Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Providence St. Joseph Health, SSM Health and Trinity Health along with philanthropies Laura and John Arnold Foundation, the Peterson Center on Healthcare and the Gary and Mary West Foundation, to address generic drug shortages and the high costs of vital medicines. Kaiser Permanente and Memorial Hermann Health have since joined these organizations on Civica’s governing board of directors. Since its inception, more than 50 health systems, representing nearly 1,400 hospitals and one-third of all licensed hospital beds in the U.S., have joined the effort.

CivicaScript will initially develop and manufacture six to 10 common but high-priced generic medicines for which there is currently not enough market competition to drive down prices. Using a cost-plus and price-transparent model, CivicaScript also plans to innovate and further transform the supply chain to lower the cost of prescription medicines. CivicaScript will work to deliver these medicines to U.S. patients at a fraction of their current cost, saving consumers hundreds of millions of dollars annually within a few years post-launch, Civica said. The first CivicaScript generic medicines will be available to individuals and families across the country as early as 2022 through retail and mail-order pharmacies.

“Today’s announcements are important steps in advancing our mission of making quality, affordable generic medicines available to millions of people at home,” said Martin VanTrieste, Civica’s president and CEO. “We are delighted to welcome our newest partners and our new CivicaScript president, Gina Guinasso, a nationally revered managed- healthcare executive. Together, we are committed to putting patients and their needs first by lowering the cost of exceptionally high-cost generic medicines.”

“Making sure consumers have access to the medicines they need at a price they can afford is a top priority for BCBSA and Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies across the country,” said Kim Keck, president and CEO of BCBSA. “That is why we co-founded CivicaScript last year, so together we can help get safe, effective and affordable medicines to consumers as quickly as possible. We’re pleased to have Anthem and Catalent join this partnership and help accelerate industry efforts to lower the cost of generic prescription medications.”

“Now, more than ever, we need greater choice in quality, generic prescription drugs so that everyone can afford to take their prescriptions and continue to stay healthy,” said Jeffrey Alter, executive vice president of IngenioRx and Anthem Health Solutions. “By partnering with CivicaScript and introducing original and inventive approaches, we look forward to making high-cost medicines more affordable.”

All of Civica’s Hospital System members will have access to the retail medications manufactured by CivicaScript, the announcement said.

“As with Civica in the in-patient hospital setting, CivicaScript will make quality generic medications available and affordable in the outpatient and retail pharmacy setting,” said Dan Liljenquist, Civica board chairman and senior vice president of Intermountain Healthcare in Utah. “The addition of ‘Script’ to the name signals that the new company will provide medicines as prescribed for consumers and it is our expectation that a ‘CivicaScript’ will represent quality and affordability to individuals and families across the country.”