AMCP Corporate Member Spotlight: Optinose

AMCP News & Views recently caught up with John Peterkins, vice president of market access at Optinose to learn about his company and gain insights on becoming an AMCP Corporate Member. 

As you considered becoming a Corporate Member, what tipped the scales?  

At Optinose, we saw alignment between AMCP’s priorities and our own. Optimizing value and access while addressing health disparities and getting patients the medications they need at a cost they can afford to help improve their lives embodies the spirit and mission on which Optinose operates. As an industry-leading professional association, AMCP provides us the opportunity to engage important health care stakeholders. This allows us to build partnerships and gain insights and perspectives on the dynamic managed care environment.   

What is your strategy and anticipated innovations for 2021?   

In the short term, we are working on major unmet needs in the area of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRS). CRS is a chronic nasal inflammatory disease that may affect as many as 30 million adults in the United States. Consideration should be given to the possibility of nasal polyps in patients with symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis who are insufficiently responsive to standard intranasal steroid sprays. It is estimated that 10 million patients suffer from symptoms of nasal polyps in the United States alone, leading to approximately $5.7 billion in direct costs annually. Just last month, a panel of independent experts issued a new treatment algorithm for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps that includes the role of our product in stepwise care. The algorithm was published in a major ENT and allergy journal, the International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology (IFAR).   

More specifically, in 2021 we are focused on both continued growth of, and further clinical research on, our current product portfolio. On the development front, two chronic rhinosinusitis clinical registration trials are underway with top-line results expected Q1 – Q2 2022.  

Our technology offers a much-needed alternative to traditional nasal sprays, as well as nasal nebulizers, tablets, and injections. In the longer term, we have our eye on multiple other areas in the otolaryngology and allergy specialty spaces where new approaches in medication delivery can help people who are suffering today. 

Additionally, we are evaluating our technology for the delivery of other drugs or drug combinations where site of delivery is important to clinical effect. Finally, we are developing a new product candidate, OPN-019, that delivers an antiseptic to treat or prevent infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and other pathogens, with a pilot single-dose human study in patients with COVID-19 planned. OPN-019 is an investigational product and has not been approved by the FDA. The safety and efficacy of OPN-019 is unknown. 

What’s your one-minute elevator speech about your company?  

Optinose is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on creating innovative products that improve care in important ways for patients treated by ear, nose, and throat (ENT) and allergy specialists. Our mission is to create solutions that improve quality of life and functioning for patients suffering from conditions with high unmet needs. As we continue to innovate, we hope to help advance medicine together with our payor partners through our commitment to each other and to patients.  

Learn more about becoming an AMCP Corporate Member.