SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATING XOFIGO INTO A COMMUNITY PRACTICE

Integrating Xofigo into your practice can streamline coordination of patient care for your eligible patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Steps to integrate Xofigo: an overview

Committing to integrate Xofigo

Choosing to integrate Xofigo into your practice can streamline coordination of care. Start by reaching out to one of our Bayer Representatives to learn more and get started.

  • Contact and meet with a Xofigo Key Account Executive to review the process of integrating Xofigo and key considerations
  • Commit to integrating Xofigo in your practice
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Prepare your practice

Start by ensuring you have the correct team members and requirements in place. Then, get in touch with your Xofigo Key Account Executive and Radiotherapy Specialist to set up a hot lab or to help you maintain your hot lab.

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Treat with Xofigo

Once you’ve prepared your practice, you’re ready to start treating patients with Xofigo. Xofigo® Access Services offers assistance with ordering Xofigo. Click the link below to learn more. If you have questions regarding administration, click the link below for more information.

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Bill for treatment

For your convenience, we have created guidance on how to code and bill correctly for Xofigo treatment in all settings of care. Reach out to your Xofigo Key Account Executive and click below to learn more about how it could be beneficial for your practice.

 

Consult with your Field Reimbursement Manager for specific coding and billing guidance.

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Review and evaluate Xofigo integration

To ensure that your practice is successfully integrating Xofigo, stay in touch with your Xofigo Key Account Executive regularly.

 

YOUR TEAM

A plan to integrate Xofigo successfully into your practice starts with identifying your care team

Providing Xofigo in your practice requires a team approach. The following team members working together will play an integral role. Learn more about each team member below.

 

    Oncologist (medical or radiation) or urologist who acknowledges the importance of monitoring disease progression and timely therapeutic intervention

    • Understands the clinical rationale for Xofigo therapy in appropriate patients, and the efficacy and safety of Xofigo
    • Initiates Xofigo with the goal of completing all 6 doses of therapy1
    • Educates other healthcare professionals on Xofigo as an appropriate therapeutic treatment option for patients

     

      Business executive, practice manager, owner, or administrative staff who is responsible for maximizing practice economics and performance

      • Understands the clinical rationale for Xofigo therapy in appropriate patients, and the efficacy and safety of Xofigo
      • Understands practice economics and rationale for Xofigo
      • Ensures leadership support and commitment to Xofigo within the practice
      • Understands reimbursement landscape specific to prostate cancer treatments
      • Has full understanding of Xofigo Access Services
      • Oversees operations (eg, capital investments, staff roles, and drug purchasing and billing)

        Radiotherapy oncologist or nuclear medicine specialist who understands the value of Xofigo as an alpha particle-emitting therapy1

        • Trained and licensed to handle and administer radiopharmaceuticals
        • Responsible for the coordination of the radioactive materials license application, equipment calibration, and appropriate storage/waste removal
        • Explains the benefits and risks of Xofigo clearly to patients and may take an active role in ongoing patient care
        • May be a member of your staff or may be contracted to provide services to your practice

          A clinical care coordinator: nurse navigator, nurse educator, and/or patient care nurse who leads coordination of patient care, including identification of patients and facilitation of the Xofigo process

          • Works with physician to identify appropriate patients
          • Embraces role as patient advocate to ensure initiation, and assists with completion of Xofigo course of therapy
          • Handles scheduling, ordering, and logistical support
          • Provides patient education
          Reference
          • Xofigo® (radium Ra 223 dichloride) injection [prescribing information]. Whippany, NJ: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.; December 2019. Return to content

          Indication

          Xofigo is indicated for the treatment of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, symptomatic bone metastases and no known visceral metastatic disease.

          Important Safety Information

          Warnings and Precautions:
          • Bone Marrow Suppression: In the phase 3 ALSYMPCA trial, 2% of patients in the Xofigo arm experienced bone marrow failure or ongoing pancytopenia, compared to no patients treated with placebo. There were two deaths due to bone marrow failure. For 7 of 13 patients treated with Xofigo bone marrow failure was ongoing at the time of death. Among the 13 patients who experienced bone marrow failure, 54% required blood transfusions. Four percent (4%) of patients in the Xofigo arm and 2% in the placebo arm permanently discontinued therapy due to bone marrow suppression. In the randomized trial, deaths related to vascular hemorrhage in association with myelosuppression were observed in 1% of Xofigo-treated patients compared to 0.3% of patients treated with placebo. The incidence of infection-related deaths (2%), serious infections (10%), and febrile neutropenia (<1%) was similar for patients treated with Xofigo and placebo. Myelosuppression–notably thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, pancytopenia, and leukopenia–has been reported in patients treated with Xofigo.

            Monitor patients with evidence of compromised bone marrow reserve closely and provide supportive care measures when clinically indicated. Discontinue Xofigo in patients who experience life-threatening complications despite supportive care for bone marrow failure

           

          • Hematological Evaluation: Monitor blood counts at baseline and prior to every dose of Xofigo. Prior to first administering Xofigo, the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) should be ≥1.5 × 109/L, the platelet count ≥100 × 109/L, and hemoglobin ≥10 g/dL. Prior to subsequent administrations, the ANC should be ≥1 × 109/L and the platelet count ≥50 × 109/L. Discontinue Xofigo if hematologic values do not recover within 6 to 8 weeks after the last administration despite receiving supportive care

           

          • Concomitant Use With Chemotherapy: Safety and efficacy of concomitant chemotherapy with Xofigo have not been established. Outside of a clinical trial, concomitant use of Xofigo in patients on chemotherapy is not recommended due to the potential for additive myelosuppression. If chemotherapy, other systemic radioisotopes, or hemibody external radiotherapy are administered during the treatment period, Xofigo should be discontinued

           

          • Increased Fractures and Mortality in Combination With Abiraterone Plus Prednisone/Prednisolone: Xofigo is not recommended for use in combination with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone/prednisolone outside of clinical trials. At the primary analysis of the phase 3 ERA-223 study that evaluated concurrent initiation of Xofigo in combination with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone/prednisolone in 806 asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic mCRPC patients, an increased incidence of fractures (28.6% vs 11.4%) and deaths (38.5% vs 35.5%) have been observed in patients who received Xofigo in combination with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone/prednisolone compared to patients who received placebo in combination with abiraterone acetate plus prednisone/prednisolone. Safety and efficacy with the combination of Xofigo and agents other than gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues have not been established

           

          • Embryo-Fetal Toxicity: The safety and efficacy of Xofigo have not been established in females. Xofigo can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant female. Advise pregnant females and females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise male patients to use condoms and their female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completing treatment with Xofigo

           

          Administration and Radiation Protection: Xofigo should be received, used, and administered only by authorized persons in designated clinical settings. The administration of Xofigo is associated with potential risks to other persons from radiation or contamination from spills of bodily fluids such as urine, feces, or vomit. Therefore, radiation protection precautions must be taken in accordance with national and local regulations

          Fluid Status: Dehydration occurred in 3% of patients on Xofigo and 1% of patients on placebo. Xofigo increases adverse reactions such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, which may result in dehydration. Monitor patients’ oral intake and fluid status carefully and promptly treat patients who display signs or symptoms of dehydration or hypovolemia

          Injection Site Reactions: Erythema, pain, and edema at the injection site were reported in 1% of patients on Xofigo

          Secondary Malignant Neoplasms: Xofigo contributes to a patient’s overall long-term cumulative radiation exposure. Long-term cumulative radiation exposure may be associated with an increased risk of cancer and hereditary defects. Due to its mechanism of action and neoplastic changes, including osteosarcomas, in rats following administration of radium-223 dichloride, Xofigo may increase the risk of osteosarcoma or other secondary malignant neoplasms. However, the overall incidence of new malignancies in the randomized trial was lower on the Xofigo arm compared to placebo (<1% vs 2%; respectively), but the expected latency period for the development of secondary malignancies exceeds the duration of follow-up for patients on the trial

          Subsequent Treatment With Cytotoxic Chemotherapy: In the randomized clinical trial, 16% of patients in the Xofigo group and 18% of patients in the placebo group received cytotoxic chemotherapy after completion of study treatments. Adequate safety monitoring and laboratory testing was not performed to assess how patients treated with Xofigo will tolerate subsequent cytotoxic chemotherapy

          Adverse Reactions: The most common adverse reactions (≥10%) in the Xofigo arm vs the placebo arm, respectively, were nausea (36% vs 35%), diarrhea (25% vs 15%), vomiting (19% vs 14%), and peripheral edema (13% vs 10%). Grade 3 and 4 adverse events were reported in 57% of Xofigo-treated patients and 63% of placebo-treated patients. The most common hematologic laboratory abnormalities in the Xofigo arm (≥10%) vs the placebo arm, respectively, were anemia (93% vs 88%), lymphocytopenia (72% vs 53%), leukopenia (35% vs 10%), thrombocytopenia (31% vs 22%), and neutropenia (18% vs 5%)

          For important risk and use information about Xofigo, please see the Full Prescribing Information.

          You are encouraged to report side effects or quality complaints of products to the FDA by visiting www.fda.gov/medwatch or calling 1-800-FDA-1088. For Bayer products, you can report these directly to Bayer by clicking here.