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Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) Prior Authorization with Quantity Limit Program Summary
Policy Number: PH-1097
This program applies to Blue Partner, Commercial, GenPlus, SourceRx and Health Insurance Marketplace formularies.
POLICY REVIEW CYCLE
Effective Date |
Date of Origin |
04-01-2024 |
04-01-2019 |
FDA APPROVED INDICATIONS AND DOSAGE
Agent(s) |
FDA Indication(s) |
Notes |
Ref# |
Nuedexta® (dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate) Capsule |
Treatment of pseudobulbar affect (PBA) |
|
1 |
See package insert for FDA prescribing information: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/index.cfm
CLINICAL RATIONALE
Pseudobulbar Affect |
Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is characterized as abrupt episodes of uncontrollable laughter and/or crying that are incongruent or independent of mood.(2,3) The episodes are involuntary and are disconnected from external circumstances and internal mood states. PBA occurs when neural pathways that modulate emotional responses in the brain are interrupted, particularly descending pathways from the frontal lobes to the cerebellum.(6) Medical conditions which result in a disruption of those pathways, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), or traumatic brain injury (TBI), can produce the hallmark symptoms of PBA.(2,3,5) PBA is under-reported due to often being mistaken for a sign of depression or simply a general reaction to the burden of the underlying neurological disease. Rather, PBA is a specific condition itself, distinct from other types of emotional lability that may occur in patients with neurological disease or injury.(2,6) The presence of PBA can usually be detected by simply asking the patient or caregiver if they have a tendency to laugh or cry for no reason or have an exaggerated response to emotional situations.(2) A self-administered questionnaire that screens for laughing and crying symptoms, called the Center for Neurologic Study – Lability Scale (CNS-LS), has been validated in ALS and MS. Scores range from one to five for each question, resulting in a total score of seven (no excess emotional lability) to 35 (severe excess emotional lability). A cutoff of 13 accurately predicted neurologists’ clinical diagnosis in 82% of ALS patients. Such a cutoff for patients with MS was less accurate, predicting the neurologist’s diagnosis 78% of the time in cases with low specificity, leading to a high number of false positives. Raising the cutoff to 17 for patients with MS improved the specificity without meaningfully affecting the sensitivity.(3) The goal of treatment of PBA is to diminish the severity and frequency of episodes. In patients with TBI or stroke, the need for treatment may diminish as recovery occurs and neurological function is restored. In MS, ALS, PD, and AD, however, treatment is likely to be needed long-term.(2) The primary neurotransmitter abnormalities involved in PBA are serotonin and glutamate, and pharmacologic treatments have focused on drugs that modulate these neurotransmitters.(2,3,4,5) Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most commonly used to treat PBA.(2,3,5) Dopaminergic medications, such as carbidopa/levodopa and amantadine, have been used but with lower response rates. The serotonergic action of SSRIs and TCAs appears to be the most significant therapeutic mechanism in treatment of PBA, via an increase in availability of serotonin at the synapses in corticolimbic and cerebellar pathways. As a qualitative indicator that PBA is distinct from depression, patient responses to antidepressants typically occur at lower doses than used for depression, and time to observable alleviation of PBA symptoms may be shorter compared to alleviation of depression symptoms.(3,5) Nuedexta, currently the only FDA-approved drug for the treatment of PBA, is a combination of dextromethorphan and quinidine. Dextromethorphan has CNS activity both as an uncompetitive antagonist of the NMDA-sensitive glutamate receptor and as a sigma-1 receptor agonist. In addition, it shows affinity for monoamine transporters resulting in a modulatory effect on neurotransmission involving glutamate, serotonin, and noradrenalin.(2,5) Dextromethorphan is the pharmacologically-active component of Nuedexta but is rapidly catabolized in the liver by cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6). Low-dose quinidine competitively inhibits CYP2D6, but at such a low dose level that it is generally well tolerated and does not affect the safety profile of the combination treatment.(1-3,5) Though PBA is still believed highly under-reported and under-treated, the availability of an FDA labeled therapy for the treatment of PBA has motivated increased vigilance for the condition and encourages clinicians to look for the condition among their new and established patients.(2,5) |
Efficacy |
The efficacy of Nuedexta was demonstrated in one trial of 326 patients with PBA and underlying ALS or MS. The primary outcome measure of laughing and crying episodes was based on an analysis of the sums of the episode counts over the double-blind phase. The daily PBA episode rate was 46.9% lower in the 30 mg/10 mg dextromethorphan/quinidine arm, and 49% lower in the 20 mg/10 mg dextromethorphan/quinidine arm, compared to placebo. The secondary endpoint was the CNS-LS scores, analyzed based on the difference between the mean scores on day 84 and baseline, and was also statistically significantly lower in each dextromethorphan/quinidine arm compared to placebo. There were no clinically important differences between Nuedexta (20 mg/10 mg) and the 30 mg/10 mg arm.(1,2,5) |
Safety |
Nuedexta has the following contraindications:(1)
|
REFERENCES
Number |
Reference |
1 |
Nuedexta Prescribing Information. Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. December 2022. |
2 |
Cummings J, Gilbart J, Andersen G. Pseudobulbar Affect – A Disabling but Under-Recognised Consequence of Neurological Disease and Brain Injury. Eur Neurol Rev. 2013;8(2):74–81 |
3 |
Ahmed A, Simmons Z. Pseudobulbar Affect: Prevalence and Management. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2013;9:483–489. |
4 |
Gordon D. Pseudobulbar Affect: Research points to an effective treatment for different neurological conditions. Neurology Now. 2015 Jan;10(6):56-58. |
5 |
Chen JJ. Pharmacotherapeutic Management of Pseudobulbar Affect. Am J Manag Care. 2017;23:S345-S350. |
POLICY AGENT SUMMARY PRIOR AUTHORIZATION
Target Brand Agent(s) |
Target Generic Agent(s) |
Strength |
Targeted MSC |
Available MSC |
Final Age Limit |
Preferred Status |
|
||||||
Nuedexta |
dextromethorphan hbr-quinidine sulfate cap |
20-10 MG |
M ; N ; O ; Y |
N |
|
|
POLICY AGENT SUMMARY QUANTITY LIMIT
Target Brand Agent Name(s) |
Target Generic Agent Name(s) |
Strength |
QL Amount |
Dose Form |
Day Supply |
Duration |
Addtl QL Info |
Allowed Exceptions |
Targeted NDCs When Exclusions Exist |
|
|||||||||
Nuedexta |
Dextromethorphan HBr-Quinidine Sulfate Cap 20-10 MG |
20-10 MG |
60 |
Capsules |
30 |
DAYS |
|
|
|
CLIENT SUMMARY – PRIOR AUTHORIZATION
Target Brand Agent Name(s) |
Target Generic Agent Name(s) |
Strength |
Client Formulary |
Nuedexta |
dextromethorphan hbr-quinidine sulfate cap |
20-10 MG |
Blue Partner ; Commercial ; GenPlus ; Health Insurance Marketplace ; SourceRx |
CLIENT SUMMARY – QUANTITY LIMITS
Target Brand Agent Name(s) |
Target Generic Agent Name(s) |
Strength |
Client Formulary |
Nuedexta |
Dextromethorphan HBr-Quinidine Sulfate Cap 20-10 MG |
20-10 MG |
Blue Partner ; Commercial ; GenPlus ; Health Insurance Marketplace ; SourceRx |
PRIOR AUTHORIZATION CLINICAL CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL
Module |
Clinical Criteria for Approval |
|
Initial Evaluation Target Agent(s) will be approved when ALL of the following are met:
Length of Approval: 3 months NOTE: If Quantity Limit applies, please refer to Quantity Limit Criteria. *Step therapy requirement may not apply if a prior health plan paid for the medication - documentation of a paid claim may be required.
Renewal Evaluation Target Agent(s) will be approved when ALL of the following are met:
Length of Approval: 12 months NOTE: If Quantity Limit applies, please refer to Quantity Limit Criteria. |
QUANTITY LIMIT CLINICAL CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL
Module |
Clinical Criteria for Approval |
QL with PA |
Quantity Limit for the Target Agent(s) will be approved when ONE of the following is met:
Length of Approval: Initial: 3 months; Renewal: 12 months |
This pharmacy policy is not an authorization, certification, explanation of benefits or a contract. Eligibility and benefits are determined on a case-by-case basis according to the terms of the member’s plan in effect as of the date services are rendered. All pharmacy policies are based on (i) information in FDA approved package inserts (and black box warning, alerts, or other information disseminated by the FDA as applicable); (ii) research of current medical and pharmacy literature; and/or (iii) review of common medical practices in the treatment and diagnosis of disease as of the date hereof. Physicians and other providers are solely responsible for all aspects of medical care and treatment, including the type, quality, and levels of care and treatment.
The purpose of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s pharmacy policies are to provide a guide to coverage. Pharmacy policies are not intended to dictate to physicians how to practice medicine. Physicians should exercise their medical judgment in providing the care they feel is most appropriate for their patients.
Neither this policy, nor the successful adjudication of a pharmacy claim, is guarantee of payment.
ALBP _ Commercial _ CSReg _ Pseudobulbar_Affect_PAQL _ProgSum_ 04-01-2024 _© Copyright Prime Therapeutics LLC. January 2024 All Rights Reserved