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How Anovo Builds Dedicated Teams to Support Your Rare Disease Therapy

January 30, 2025

At Anovo, we understand that complex rare disease therapies require high-touch service that large payer- and Pharmacy Benefit Manager-owned Specialty Pharmacies (SPs) often struggle to provide. That’s why we build dedicated teams tailored specifically to each manufacturer’s needs.

By aligning our team’s composition to both compliment and mirror yours, we streamline communication, making it easier and more efficient to collaborate. Our approach allows us to:

• Act as a true extension of your team.
• Train our staff or create positions specifically designed to meet your unique requirements.
• Customize our approach to you and your patients’ needs, rather than slotting you into a pre-existing framework.

Our success in supporting rare disease therapies comes from the expertise of our team members and our experience with managing over 20 commercial and pre-commercial programs. We structure our services to prioritize both patient outcomes and your specific needs. Whether it’s administering an Early Access Program (EAP), providing specialty pharmacy services, managing reimbursements, or delivering patient-centered care, you can count on our team to leverage proven strategies and insights from previous launches to ensure your therapy’s success.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways we can support your rare disease therapies.

Implementation and Early Access Program (EAP) Support

We recognize the crucial role Early Access Programs (EAPs) play in providing patients with access to life-changing therapies. It’s why we have an EAP function with dedicated teams, managed by specialists like Reena Neville, to manage every aspect of these programs and ensure a seamless experience for both patients and manufacturers.

When it comes to facilitating early access to therapies when patients need it most, Reena explains that her team is laser-focused on site and patient enrollment.

“We can handle everything from site enrollment to patient enrollment… . We’re ensuring that all required documents are obtained, and the treating physicians understand the process for which they need to optimize their patient’s experience with investigational drug”

– Reena Neville, EAP Manager

We also place a strong emphasis on data collection and collaboration with manufacturers. Our EAP team compiles comprehensive reports, tracking all data from patient enrollment to treatment guidelines. This data supports regulatory submissions and provides manufacturers with the insights they need to optimize their launch plans.

We take a flexible, tailored approach to each program, adjusting our processes to meet the specific needs of every manufacturer’s clinical protocol. This allows us to:

• Manage logistics efficiently, ensuring timely patient access to treatments, even in challenging situations.
• Adapt our processes to the specific requirements of each manufacturer, streamlining site and patient enrollment, including documentation and medication orders.

“Our team engages with the treating physician continuously to collect all patient lab results, clinical impressions, and product orders, to ensure the clinical protocol is not jeopardized and product is received.”

– Reena Neville, EAP Manager

• Monitor medication shipments closely, working with clinics and healthcare providers to ensure patients receive treatments on time.
• Provide manufacturers with critical data, supporting regulatory submissions and leveraging our extensive experience to be collaborative thought partners to provide solutions during a product launch.

With Anovo’s proactive, personalized approach to EAPs, we help accelerate the journey from clinical trials to market availability while supporting patients and manufacturers every step of the way.

Specialty Pharmacy Support

At Anovo, we understand that supporting patients with rare diseases requires more than just medication – it requires a highly dedicated team that can provide personalized care at every step of the therapy journey. Our pharmacy team, led by experts like Lead Clinical Pharmacist Chris Webb, works tirelessly to ensure that therapies are managed effectively.

When it comes to patient support, Chris emphasizes the importance of clear communication and empathy.

“In this role, I still get to speak directly with patients on a regular basis, so that always has a huge impact as I am able to discuss the problems or side effects a patient may be experiencing and make specific recommendations on what may be best for them based on the therapy they take and disease state they have. Patients who have had complaints or problems typically will get sent to me so that we can develop and discuss a solution that will work for everyone involved.”

– Chris Webb, Lead Clinical Pharmacist

Anovo’s specialty pharmacy team becomes deeply familiar with each manufacturer’s products, providing highly personalized support by developing strong relationships with patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. Our teams are structured to mirror your field teams, which increases both communication and productivity.

• Direct patient support to address concerns, discuss side effects, and make therapy adjustments, improving patient adherence and satisfaction.

“No two patients are the same when it comes to these rare diseases and some things will work for one person and not another. In my role, there are many times when my knowledge about the disease state or specific therapy is crucial to resolving a patient’s issue. I once had a parent call stating every time the patient went into the master bathroom of their house he would have a seizure. My first thought was if the room was really bright then that can trigger seizures, but the mother stated it was not, and they hadn’t changed the light bulbs. After inquiring further, she told me she bought a new candle…and even though she never burned it, we came to the conclusion that the specific scent of that candle just sitting on the counter in a smaller space was triggering the seizures. After they got rid of the candle, they no longer had the issue.”

– Chris Webb, Lead Clinical Pharmacist

• Seamless medication management, including verifying prescriptions and addressing issues related to medication shipments, delays, or reimbursement to ensure patients receive their medications without disruption.
• Compliance reporting that ensures all necessary documentation is in place for regulatory requirements and provides manufacturers with timely insights into patient therapy management.

By focusing on adherence and resolving therapy-related issues, our pharmacy team ensures patients receive the best care possible while providing manufacturers with the insights and support they need to optimize therapy delivery and patient outcomes.

Reimbursement Support

One of the many ways Anovo makes it easier for manufacturers to get their therapies to patients quickly is by streamlining the insurance process. Our in-house reimbursement team works closely with insurers, prescribers, and patients to ensure that therapies are delivered without unnecessary delays.

Our Reimbursement Supervisor, Tara Ruffin, explains how the team’s commitment to patients has helped them achieve a proven track record of 94% patient reimbursement within 90 days.

“We are advocating for our patients’ care on a daily basis. The team is doing everything possible to ensure each patient has access to the therapies that we support. We assist with prior authorization submissions…and we empower patients by keeping them informed and providing guidance on the necessary steps to secure medication approval through their insurance.”

– Tara Ruffin, Reimbursement Supervisor

Our reimbursement team understands that the success of a therapy goes beyond just getting it to patients – it’s about keeping them on track with their treatment. That’s why they work hand-in-hand with other internal teams to resolve issues that could prevent patients from affording their therapy.

Our proactive approach to managing reimbursement includes:

• Effective Prior Authorization support to streamline the submission process, resolving obstacles that may prevent timely therapy initiation.
• Expert dispute resolution to ensure reimbursement aligns with contracted rates, minimizing delays and securing maximum reimbursement.
• Timely patient support to ensure patients are kept informed and supported throughout the reimbursement process, preventing therapy disruptions.

“At times, the prior authorization process can be lengthy and challenging. However, our team goes above and beyond to keep patients informed throughout every step. The most rewarding moment comes when a patient finally starts their therapy and reaches out to express their heartfelt gratitude. Hearing how our efforts have significantly improved their quality of life is very fulfilling and makes all the hard work worth it.”

– Tara Ruffin, Reimbursement Supervisor

• Efficient collaboration between internal teams to address any issues that could affect patient shipments and treatment timelines.

“We conduct daily cross functional meetings to address potential issues that may impact patient shipments. When problems are identified, all core teams work together to develop and implement solutions, thereby preventing any interruptions in patient treatment.”

– Tara Ruffin, Reimbursement Supervisor

At Anovo, we view reimbursement as a critical component of patient care. By addressing financial barriers quickly, we help maintain patient adherence and help manufacturers increase access to their therapy. It’s how we consistently achieve:

Anovo goes beyond simply delivering rare disease therapies – we build dedicated teams that prioritize your needs. Our integrated, in-house exclusive approach addresses every challenge while keeping costs manageable for manufacturers and improving the patient experience. With Anovo, you get a partner committed to both your therapy’s success and the well-being of your patients.

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