UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

CVS Health, the largest U.S. pharmacy benefit manager, will not add Gilead's new HIV prevention drug Yeztugo to its commercial plans, citing clinical, financial, and regulatory factors despite the drug's proven 99.9% effectiveness.

The three largest U.S. pharmacy benefit managers have excluded nearly all marketed Humira biosimilars from their 2025 standard formularies, marking a dramatic shift from 2024 when eight products were covered.

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz as the new head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in a 53-45 vote along party lines.

The real-world evidence oncology solutions market is projected to grow from $893 million in 2025 to $3.51 billion by 2035, representing a compound annual growth rate of 14.7%.

Latigo Biotherapeutics has raised $150 million in Series B funding led by Blue Owl Capital to advance its pipeline of non-opioid pain medications targeting NaV1.8 and other pain pathways.

• A comprehensive analysis of Medicare Part D claims reveals that CVS, Humana, Cigna, and UnitedHealth Group control 34.1% of all pharmacy spending, with even higher shares in specialty pharmacy segments. • Research demonstrates significant patient steering practices, with specialty drug claims being 19.8 percentage points more likely to be filled at insurer-PBM owned pharmacies than expected without steering. • The study highlights potential market competition concerns, particularly in specialty drug categories where insurer-PBM pharmacy control reaches up to 89.7% for certain therapeutic classes.

• The FDA approved a higher 420mg strength of Hercessi (trastuzumab-strf), a biosimilar to Herceptin, for HER2-positive breast and gastric cancers, expanding treatment options. • UnitedHealth will remove AbbVie’s Humira from some preferred drug lists in 2025, favoring adalimumab biosimilars, reflecting the increasing biosimilar market share. • Evernorth will offer an interchangeable ustekinumab biosimilar for Stelara at $0 out-of-pocket cost, potentially saving patients around $4,000 annually. • The EMA's CHMP issued a positive opinion for Samsung Bioepis’ Opuviz (SB15), an aflibercept biosimilar referencing Eylea, for ophthalmic diseases.