Express Scripts Turns to AbbVie in Huge Hepatitis C Deal

The nation's largest pharmacy benefits manager is throwing its weight into a fight over the high cost of treating hepatitis C, saying it will cover a drug from AbbVie, while pulling back on those from rival drugmakers. The treatments traditionally can run close to $100,000 for each patient. Express Scripts says it will no longer cover Sovaldi and Harvoni from Gilead Sciences or Johnson & Johnson's Olysio starting January 1, except under limited circumstances. AbbVie's Viekira Pak, which was approved late last week will become the preferred treatment for patients who have the most common form of the liver-destroying virus. The three drugs that will no longer be covered are part of a wave of effective, but expensive treatments that hit the market in the past year.