Cigna enters outcomes-based contract with Novartis for heart failure treatment drug

Cigna announced this week that it has entered an outcomes-based contract with Novartis for the drug Entresto, a drug for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

The drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The pay-for-performance agreement is tied to how well the drug actually performs with Cigna's customers. The way this is measured is by monitoring the number of customers with heart failure hospitalizations, and whether that number begins to decline.

“Competitive drug prices are important, but equally so is ensuring that customers’ medications are actually working as, or better than, expected,” Christopher Bradbury, SVP, integrated clinical and specialty drug solutions for Cigna Pharmacy Management, said.

Cigna Corp. is a global health service company that offers products and services such as medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, and supplemental benefits, in order to help its customers live healthier lives.

“When pharmaceutical companies stand behind the performance of their drugs through these kinds of contracts, we can deliver the most value to Cigna's customers and clients for the money they are spending,” Bradbury said.