Two new drugs impacting workers’ comp have seen recent approvals.
Simlandi® (adalimumab-ryvk) injection was approved. A biosimilar to Humira, Simlandi is indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis, and other autoimmune conditions.
In some industries, workers may develop arthritic conditions by experiencing cumulative or acute trauma. It is also possible for occupational injury to aggravate pre-existing inflammatory joint disease. In some cases, specialty medications for inflammatory conditions are appropriate for these work-related injuries; in other cases, they are prescribed off-label.
Dosing for Simlandi varies based on what indication it is used for. While there are no contraindications on the drug label, there are warnings against using Simlandi in patients with infections.
Meanwhile, the FDA approved the first generic version of Namzaric® (memantine and donepezil hydrochloride), a drug indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type in patients stabilized on 10 mg of donepezil hydrochloride once daily.
Approximately 1 in 9 Americans over the age of 65 have Alzheimer’s, a consideration as the workforce continues to age and retirements are delayed. Additionally, medications approved for the treatment of Alzheimer’s have the potential to be prescribed off-label for other indications such as dementia, traumatic brain injury, or other cognitive conditions.
Another consideration regarding drug therapy management is that the mental deterioration of Alzheimer’s could interfere with medication adherence, particularly if patients also have a comorbidity.
For ongoing coverage of the latest drug approvals and alerts impacting workers’ comp, visit Med Monitor online.
