FLINT, Mich. — Diplomat Pharmacy has unveiled CastiaRx to respond to industry demand for a leader in specialty benefit management.

CastiaRx unites the full-service pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) capabilities of recently acquired LDI Integrated Pharmacy Services and National Pharmaceutical Services with Diplomat’s specialty pharmacy and infusion expertise.

Joel Saban

According to the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, the late-phase development pipeline recently included more than 800 specialty drugs. The Pharmacy Benefit ManagementInstitute projects that more than 50% of U.S. drug spend will be specialty by 2020.

Albert Thigpen, president and chief operating officer of CastiaRx, said specialty drugs are life-changing for people with complex diseases—including cancer and rare genetic conditions—but often require more expert support.

“The current PBM model wasn’t designed to address the challenges that come with specialty drugs,” Thigpen said. “While CastiaRx offers traditional PBM services, we also bring broader depth to address the intricacies of specialty pharmacy management—under both the pharmacy and medical benefit. With 24/7 patient support, advanced analytic capabilities, and clinical expertise founded on a centers-of-excellence approach, we can help patients achieve the best possible outcomes.”

Joel Saban, president of Diplomat, said CastiaRx simplifies the patient journey by tailoring support based on the patient’s stage of illness, clinical status, and communication preferences. He said the brand focuses on anticipating member needs, increasing adherence, closing gaps in care, and ultimately enabling better outcomes. CastiaRx offers a range of service levels, with high-touch support for patients who need it and digital tools for those who prefer self-service.

“Managing specialty drug spend is part of our company’s DNA,” Saban said. “We saw tremendous synergies between Diplomat’s longstanding efforts in this area and those of our PBMs. Uniting all this under CastiaRx can relieve the complexity of specialty drug management for small and midsize payers as we provide a true solution to help them prepare for what’s ahead.”

CastiaRx combines 50 years of PBM service with more than 40 years’ experience handling specialty pharmaceuticals.