BRIEF—Boehringer gains permanent J-code for Spevigo

German family-owned pharma major Boehringer Ingelheim announced on Saturday that the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a permanent J-code (J1747) for Spevigo (spesolimab-sbzo) Injection, indicated for the treatment of generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) flares in adults.

According to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), the J-code for Spevigo became effective as of April 1, 2023.

Spevigo was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September last year. It has also been recommended for approval by the European Medicines Agency’s human medicines committee (CHMP).

“People living with GPP can experience unpredictable flares and are in need of timely access to novel treatment options,” said Claudia Beqaj, executive director, dermatology, sales and marketing, Boehringer Ingelheim.

“We are pleased to receive the permanent J-code for Spevigo that aims to enhance and expand market access for those affected by this rare and potentially life-threatening neutrophilic skin disease,” she added.

J-codes are permanent, product-specific reimbursement codes used by commercial insurers and government payers to facilitate and streamline billing for Medicare Part B drugs, which cannot be self-administered.