Skylar is an associate editor for The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) and The Center for Biosimilars®, and joined AJMC® in 2020. She is responsible for covering all aspects of the ever-changing global biosimilar industry and produces content that is accessible and informative for all health care stakeholders.
She has a BA in journalism and media studies from Rutgers University. You can connect with Skylar on LinkedIn.
Dr Courtney DiNardo Sheds Light on FDA Fast Track Designation and Its Impact on Drug Development
Courtney DiNardo, MD, MSCE, the lead author on a study presented at EHA 2023 evaluating a new therapy for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, discusses the FDA Fast Track Designation for IO-202 and strategies for raising awareness and improving diversity in clinical trials.
Dr Yael Cohen Explains the Barriers to Accessing Triplet Combination Therapies for MM
More data is emerging on the efficacy of several triplet therapies to treat single-class refractory multiple myeloma (MM), potentially giving patients more therapy options than ever before, according to Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center's Yael Cohen, MD, at the European Hematology Association 2023 Congress.
Dr Wojciech Jurczak Gives Insight Into the Phase 2 L-MIND Trial in DLBCL
Wojciech Jurczak, MD, PhD, lead researcher on the L-MIND study evaluating a new treatment combination in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), gave an overview of the trial results that were presented at the European Hematology Association 2023 Congress.
Dr Jennifer Brown Speaks on Use of BTK, BCL-2 Inhibitors in CLL Treatment
Jennifer Brown, MD, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, shared her thoughts on the current research regarding Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and what providers should keep in mind before prescribing them.
Dr Hans Lee Discusses Infection Risks for Bispecific Therapies for Patients With MM
MD Anderson Cancer Center's Hans Lee, MD, shared considerations for possible infection risk associated with bispecific therapies used to treat relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM) at the European Hematology Association 2023 Congress
Mark Cuban’s Online Pharmacy Partners With Coherus Biosciences for Humira Biosimilar
The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, an online pharmacy dedicated to increasing access to lower-cost prescriptions, is partnering with Coherus Biosciences to distribute Yusimry, a biosimilar referencing Humira. It’s the first time the pharmacy has added a biosimilar to its list of drugs.
Dr Joseph Mikhael Previews EHA 2023, His Presentation on the Future of MM Care
Attendees will gain insight into the future of multiple myeloma (MM) therapies and updates on pivotal clinical trials at the 2023 European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress, according to Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation.
Pegfilgrastim Biosimilar Fylnetra Launches in the United States
Amneal Pharmaceuticals this week launched its pegfilgrastim biosimilar, Fylnetra (pegfilgrastim-pbbk), for the treatment and prevention of febrile neutropenia, making it the sixth biosimilar referencing Neulasta to enter the US market.
Q&A: Elizabeth Johnson Shares Why Empathy Is Missing From Patient-Centered Care
Elizabeth Johnson, LPN, PACS, BPCA, CEO of MedicoCX, co-CEO of Healthcare Advocate Summit, and an Asembia 2023 presenter, discusses why more empathetic approaches that take into account the full range of the patient experience are needed to improve patient-focused health care.
Specialty Pharmacies Should Leverage AI Tracking to Increase Drug Delivery Efficiency
Speakers at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit outlined how artificial intelligence (AI) tools for pharmaceuticals, such as parcel tracking, could reduce operational costs for specialty pharmacies and mitigate drug delivery issues for patients.
Removing the Taboo: Talking About Women’s Health Is the First Step to Improving Health Equity
A panel on women’s health disparities at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit addressed the current challenges women face regarding health care as well as how digital tools, collaboration between clinics and governments, and more detailed and inclusive research can help improve health equity for all women.
Julie Reed: The Status Quo for Biosimilars Needs to Change to Maintain the Industry
The 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit featured Juliana (Julie) Reed, executive director of the Biosimilars Forum, who spoke on the challenges still facing the biosimilars industry and how they may impact the success of adalimumab biosimilars in the United States.
Digital Tools May Help Improve Patient Experience, but Human Connection Is Still Needed
Although digital tools can be immensely helpful for creating a personalized, convenient interaction between patients and the health care system, they should not be the end-all be-all method to improve the patient experience, according to a panel discussion at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit.
Survey Shows Payers More Likely to Prefer Multiple Biosimilars for the Same Reference Product
In a panel at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit, speakers presented on the payer perspective regarding biosimilars, including that they feel comfortable preferring multiple biosimilars for the same reference product and are looking for interchangeability designations.
Payers, Drug Manufacturers Can Expect More Liability Under New IRA Drug Pricing Policies
Panelists at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit discussed the myriad of ways that the drug pricing policies of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), such as inflation rebates and a redesign of Medicare Part D plans, will affect payers and manufacturers.
Asembia 2023 Summit to Provide Insight Into Health Equity, IRA, and More
Several presentations at the 2023 Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from April 30 through May 4, will cover how to address health equity concerns in specialty pharmacy care, the expansion of the biosimilars market, and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on the US health care system.
Study Reveals Factors That Dissuade Commercial Plans From Covering Biosimilars
A study assessing factors that may determine a commercial health plan’s likelihood of covering a biosimilar found that biosimilars that are cancer therapies, used to treat children, indicated for highly prevalent conditions, or only competing against the originator were more likely to have coverage restrictions.
Dr Michael Cohen Discusses Accessibility of Future Gene Therapies
Michael N. Cohen, MD, FAAO, retinal surgeon at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadephia and Mid Atlantic Retina, speaks about the future of gene therapy and the accessibility and availability of these therapies moving forward.
Female Adolescents With T1D Have Lower Quality of Life Than Male Children
A systematic review evaluating sex differences in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) found that female children had higher rates of comorbidities, higher body mass index, required higher insulin doses, and had a lower quality of life compared with male children.
Dr Michael Chiang Speaks About the NEI's Involvement in AMD, Addressing Health Disparities
Michael Chiang, MD, director of the National Eye Institute, spoke about efforts to address age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as well as health disparities in clinical trials and access to treatment.
Valproate Exhibits Both Hypnotic, Antiepileptic Properties During Sleep
In an animal study, researchers found that valproate, a common epilepsy drug, possessed hypnotic and antiepileptic properties during sleep, suggesting that the drug could help improve sleep quality for patients with nocturnal epilepsy.
Dr Adetunji Toriola Shares Breast Cancer Prevention Tactics for Premenopausal Women
Adetunji T. Toriola, MD, PhD, professor of surgery at Washington University School of Medicine, explains how breast cancer prevention campaigns for premenopausal women have changed and how RANK ligand inhibition could influence screening accuracy.
Dr Michael Paull Highlights the Vancouver Clinic's Progress With Hypertension Metrics
Michael Paull, MD, medical director of primary/urgent care and continuous improvement at the Vancouver Clinic (TVC), explained how TVC was able to improve its hypertension metrics to align with CMS' targets.