Diplomat Pharmacy, under Pressure, Merges with OptumRx

Diplomat Pharmacy, under Pressure, Merges with OptumRx

In early November, Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO) revealed some troubling news. The company reported a net loss of $177.3 million in its third-quarter earnings report, its third in a row, and issued a “going concern” warning. Shares dropped 50% (from $6.20 to $3.10) that morning. Brian Griffin, chairman and CEO of Diplomat, cited industry headwinds pressuring its prescription benefits management (PBM) business, and its failure to renew network participation in their specialty pharmacy network. Diplomat’s PBM segment generated $82 million in Q3:19, compared to $170 million in the same quarter last year. Diplomat Pharmacy’s efforts to expand in the PBM sector... Read More »
Avella Specialty Pharmacy Goes to OptumRx

Avella Specialty Pharmacy Goes to OptumRx

The auction for Riordan, Lewis & Haden’s portfolio company, Avella Specialty Pharmacy, was well under way back in February, according to industry sources. UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) Optum was reported to be in the lead, and then things went dark. It wasn’t until UnitedHealth Group’s third quarter earnings report was published on October 16 that the story ended. Some time in the third quarter, Optum acquired Avella and tucked it into its OptumRx pharmacy services subsidiary. The price wasn’t disclosed, but PEHub cited two sources saying the deal was valued at around $325 million. That’s pretty low, considering Avella’s previously disclosed... Read More »

Personalized Medicine Isn’t All Biotech

There are many sides to personalized medicine, and genetic testing is just one. Another cropped up last week in an acquisition made by Restore Health, a privately held Wisconsin company that provides personalized medicines to health care providers across the United States. Its target was Diplomat Pharmacy’s (NYSE: DPLO) compounding pharmacy business, which includes preparation of personalized medicines for patients, and compounding pharmacists who work with prescribers to customize medication to meet specific patient health needs. The deal frees up Diplomat to focus on its core specialty pharmacy operations, which were bolstered with its acquisition of Burman’s Specialty Pharmacy for $82.8... Read More »