How to Help Your Patients Find Pyzchiva in Stock: A Provider's Guide

For patients with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis, getting access to a specialty biologic like Pyzchiva (ustekinumab-ttwe) can be a frustrating experience. As a provider, your practice plays a critical role in bridging the gap between a prescription and a filled medication.

This guide covers the most practical steps you and your staff can take to reduce delays and help patients start Pyzchiva therapy as quickly as possible.

Step 1: Verify the Patient's Insurance Formulary Before Prescribing

With seven FDA-approved ustekinumab biosimilars on the market, each major PBM and insurance plan has made different formulary decisions. Some have signed exclusive contracts with specific manufacturers. Before writing Pyzchiva specifically, check:

• Is Pyzchiva on the patient's formulary, and at what tier?
• Which ustekinumab biosimilar does the patient's PBM prefer?
• Is there a step therapy requirement (e.g., must try TNF inhibitor first)?

Prescribing the formulary-preferred biosimilar reduces PA complexity and gets patients their medication faster. Since all ustekinumab products are clinically equivalent, this is usually acceptable from a clinical standpoint.

Step 2: Route the Prescription to the Correct Specialty Pharmacy

Pyzchiva is not available at most retail pharmacies. It must be routed to a specialty pharmacy that carries ustekinumab biosimilars and participates in your patient's insurance network. Common options include:

• CVS Specialty
• Walgreens Specialty / AllianceRx
• Accredo (Express Scripts)
• OptumRx Specialty
• Diplomat (PharMerica)

Your practice may already have a referral relationship with one or more specialty pharmacies. If not, Sandoz's patient support team (1-855-726-3698) can help identify appropriate specialty pharmacy partners in your area.

Step 3: Initiate Prior Authorization Immediately

The most common source of delay in getting patients started on Pyzchiva is prior authorization. A proactive PA submission at the time of prescribing — rather than waiting for the pharmacy to initiate it — can save days or weeks. Key documentation to have ready:

• Diagnosis code and severity documentation (PASI score for psoriasis, CDAI for Crohn's, Mayo score for UC)
• Documentation of prior therapy failures (for step therapy requirements)
• Completed TB screening results (required before initiating any ustekinumab product)
• Clinical justification letter if prescribing Pyzchiva specifically when the formulary prefers another biosimilar

Step 4: Provide a Bridge Supply If Needed

If a patient's prior authorization is taking longer than expected — particularly for someone actively flaring — ask Sandoz about bridge supply options or starter samples that may be available through your specialty pharmacy contact while the PA is processed.

Step 5: Enroll Patients in the Sandoz Co-Pay Assistance Program

Even after insurance coverage is approved, patients may face substantial co-pays for a specialty biologic. Sandoz's co-pay assistance program can reduce out-of-pocket costs to as little as $0 per treatment for eligible commercially insured patients. Your staff or the specialty pharmacy can assist with enrollment, or patients can call 1-855-726-3698 or visit pyzchiva.com directly.

Using medfinder to Help Patients Locate Pyzchiva

medfinder is a service that calls pharmacies near your patients to check whether they have Pyzchiva (or another medication) in stock, then texts the results to the patient. For patients who are not going through home delivery specialty pharmacy and need to pick up locally, this eliminates the time-consuming process of calling pharmacies one by one. Learn more at medfinder for providers.

Counseling Patients on What to Expect

Setting realistic expectations reduces frustration and improves adherence. Before patients leave your office, make sure they understand:

• The medication will likely be dispensed by a specialty pharmacy, not their regular retail pharmacy
• Prior authorization may take several business days to several weeks
• Pyzchiva must be refrigerated; home delivery will arrive in a temperature-controlled package
• Patients starting Pyzchiva for Crohn's or UC will need their first IV dose at an infusion center — this requires a separate referral and appointment

For patient-facing information on cost savings, direct them to our article: How to Save Money on Pyzchiva in 2026.