Questcor sales up due to expanded use of Acthar for rheumatology-related conditions

Questcor Pharmaceuticals reported that net sales for the first quarter of 2014 were up 68% from the first quarter of 2013, primarily due to the expanded use of its repository corticotropin injection.

The sales were driven by rheumatologists prescribing H.P. Acthar Gel for patients with dermatomyositis, polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus, according to a news release.

“In the FDA-approved rheumatology-related indications, pharmacies filled between 570 and 580 new paid Acthar prescriptions during the first quarter, up significantly from 140 to 150 prescriptions filled in the year ago quarter and up about 8% sequentially,” Steve Cartt, chief operating officer of Questcor, said in the release. “Rheumatology prescriptions now account for nearly a third of our total Acthar business after only four full quarters of educating rheumatologists about Acthar.”

Acthar also is indicated as adjuvant therapy for short-term administration for psoriatic arthritis, RA (including juvenile RA) and ankylosing spondylitis, according to the news release.

The company announced that enrollment is continuing in a multi-site phase 4 clinical trial to measure the safety and efficacy of daily Acthar treatment during a 6-month period for patients with persistently active lupus.