Unveiling the Future of Specialty Pharmacy at AXS24

AXS24, the 20th Asembia summit, is fast approaching its Sunday, April 28, kickoff date, with another expected record registration. Last year, attendance was close to 8000! The conference, which will take place at Wynn & Encore Las Vegas, will run through Thursday, May 2.

More than 7000 industry attendees, over 1200 organizations, and 200-plus exhibitors will descend upon Las Vegas, representing all facets of the pharmaceutical supply chain: pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, health plans, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), technology, advocacy, and policy, just to name a few. Attendees are again expected to include market access professionals, pharmacy owners and operators, industry consultants, c-suite executives, nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and managed care leadership.

“I love Asembia because it's a great opportunity to connect with clients, former colleagues, and friends across the industry,” said Sarah Butler, chief commercial officer, ADVI Health, in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) ahead of the conference. “For me, that's always the highlight every single year.”

The ongoing commitment of this yearly summit to promoting and improving the world of specialty pharmacy and to ensuring patients remain the top priority will be evident in both the daily sessions and the continuing education (CE) opportunities presented each day by Pharmacy Times Continuing Education, a subsidiary of MJH Life Sciences^®, parent company of AJMC.

“I'm looking forward to sessions on Medicare Part D and what the Part D plans might be doing next year as they react to changes to the Part D benefit redesign,” said Lindsay Greenleaf, vice president and solution leader, federal and state policy, ADVI Health. “We've had data come out showing us plan reactions to changes already for the 2024 benefit year.”

On the first full day of conference activity, the morning’s educational opportunities will encompass biologic therapy integration and reducing barriers to access, addressing food allergies, and myasthenia gravis in the value-based space. Afternoon sessions include The Specialty Pipeline, presented by Ray Tancredi, RPh, MBA, divisional vice president, Specialty Pharmacy Development Brand Rx/Vaccine Purchasing, Walgreens, who delivered a 2023 update last year; Summit Rookie Camp, meant to introduce newcomers and rising stars to the current specialty marketplace; and 2024 State of the Payer, which will include such topics as patient and drug availability and the policy landscape.

A highlight to kick off day 2 is the General Session, which will feature 3 speakers this year: Nick Webb, CEO of LeaderLogic LLC; Doug Long, vice president of industry relations at IQVIA; and Patrick Lupo, group vice president, Pharmacy Trade and Specialty, Walgreens. The Keynote Address will be given by retired Navy Admiral William McRaven, also former chancellor and CEO of the University of Texas System. Educational opportunities on this day will inform on breast cancer, the therapeutic landscape in pharmacy practice, and navigating next-generation therapies. Sessions will cover 2024 election policy issues, payment models, market access for biotech launches, value-based contracting, rare disease therapeutics, the changing biosimilar industry.

Wednesday, May 1, will begin with a panel that explores the ongoing impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, an especially hot topic in this election year, and this will be followed by discussions about artificial intelligence to boost industry profitability, trends in specialty drug benefit design, advancing equity for women’s health, navigating the regulatory landscape, remote patient management, and rare disease pricing strategy. CE on day 3 will address innovations in prostate cancer therapeutics and the role of the specialty pharmacist in the space.

The comprehensive offerings at Asembia’s AXS24 Summit will address critical issues facing the specialty pharmacy industry, demonstrating a commitment to improving specialty pharmacy and prioritizing and optimizing patient care.

You can view the entire conference agenda here.