^{Photo courtesy of AMCP Nexus.} 

At this year’s Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) Nexus event in Las Vegas, Nevada, the third day began with a first, as Prime Therapeutics (Prime) hosted the “Specialty Pharmaceuticals in Development” keynote for the first time. YuQian Liu, PharmD, RPh, senior director, specialty clinical solutions, and Soumya Vishwanath, PharmD, senior manager, formulary management, discussed trends in cell and gene therapy and rare disease and immunology categories that will shape the specialty pharmacy space through 2026.

I (Alex Cook), part of Prime’s newsroom team) caught up with Liu and Vishwanath after their presentation to learn more about their key takeaways.

Alex Cook: First of all, congratulations on delivering the keynote. You both seemed very relaxed, but you also appeared to enjoy yourselves. Tell me a bit about what it was like to be on the main stage addressing such a large crowd.
YuQian Liu (YL): There was definitely a lot of anxiety but a lot of excitement at the same time. I couldn’t see much of the audience because of the bright lights so I wasn’t aware how full the room was when I got on stage, which I think helped with the nerves! I have to say, we had a lot of help from our internal Prime team, who helped us put the presentation together, and I’m very thankful. It was an honor and privilege to be on the main stage with Soumya, representing Prime.  

Soumya Vishwanath (SV): It was absolutely surreal to be on the main stage! Speaking to such a large and diverse audience was both exciting and energizing, and I’m grateful to AMCP for the opportunity. Our discussion on specialty pharmaceuticals is crucial, especially since these drugs account for over half of the drug spend today. Being able to share insights about upcoming trends and highlight innovative pipeline products with my colleague, YuQian, felt like a privilege. Ultimately, it’s about understanding how these developments can truly benefit our members, and I loved being part of that conversation. 

YuQian, you talked about the rare disease category, which seemed to be of acute interest to attendees. What are some of the trends we are seeing in this category?
YL: There are a lot of drugs in the pipeline for rare disease, and the forecasting for this category for both cost and utilization continues to trend up rapidly over the course of the next several years. We are anticipating approvals and competitions for diseases where previously there were no treatments for these patients. The high price tag and the lack of knowledge and awareness surrounding many of these diseases will be a challenge for all of us, but at the same time, there will be more opportunities for management and innovation. I am excited to see what the future holds for this space.  

Soumya, cell and gene therapy was a focus of a Prime-hosted session earlier in the week at AMCP Nexus. What are some therapies coming that might change how we think about this category?
SV: Cell and gene therapy is a major focus right now. These therapies are groundbreaking and can reshape how we care for our patients. The top three categories where we’re seeing the largest number of pipeline products include the following: 1.) endocrine and metabolic disorders, 2.) ophthalmic conditions and 3.) hematology. As we move forward, understanding the potential of these therapies while balancing the high price tag will be crucial for managed care professionals. 

What are some therapies, or trends in specialty treatment, that caught your attention, YuQian, as you developed the keynote?
YL: Aside from the sheer volume of pipeline products in the specialty space, I also noticed that categories that historically are more traditional , such endocrine and cardiovascular diseases, are now expecting specialty products. This means that, in the future,many may become specialty categories, similar to what we experienced with asthma. I think this is perfect timing for the new Prime given many of our new initiatives in integration, bridging these categories together and managing these categories holistically, will ultimately help control some of these cost trends. 

During your portion of the presentation, YuQian, you noted how managed care pharmacy professionals and pharmaceutical manufacturers need to work together to improve access to care across specialty. Tell us more about how these two sectors can work together.
YL: Many of the new products in the pipeline are for disease conditions where there have been no treatments historically. Many of these products are also anticipated to be high cost. As managed care professionals, we need to make sure that our patients can access the appropriate treatments when needed; at the same time, all managed care organizations share the responsibility to help contain the cost of care in this country. We rely heavily on our pharma partners to help manage the data needed to determine the treatment’s efficacy, safety, durability, and long-term sustainability, and we need to work closely with our pharma partners to provide feedback on the real-world impact of these products. So that together, we provide the best quality and most affordable care to our patients. 

Soumya, you gave attendees a “key takeaway,” as you put it, that really put the entire keynote into perspective. What was that?
SV: This is such an exciting time for the specialty pharmacy space! We’ve witnessed costs rising over the years and projections suggest this will continue, affecting both medical and pharmacy benefits. But the real buzz is in the pipeline — it’s packed with groundbreaking therapies across diverse categories including cell and gene, rare diseases and immunology, to name a few. Many of these treatments will be groundbreaking, offering first-line options for patients facing debilitating conditions, while others will introduce novel mechanisms or unique features that truly enhance patient care. For us as clinicians and managed care professionals, staying on top of these developments is not just important; it’s vital to improving patient outcomes. The possibilities ahead are promising and impactful! 

For more AMCP Nexus 2024 content, visit the Prime newsroom.