How Assistance Works
Streamlining our patient’s specialty pharmacy experience with unmatched full-service convenience
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1. Check Your Coverage/Benefits Verification
Our team of expert billers finds the best avenues of coverage that minimize out-of-pocket costs.
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2. Transfer Prescription to AmeriPharma®
We process your prescription by working with your previous pharmacy or prescriber, making the transition quick and easy.
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3. Prior Authorization
Our team of specialists obtains approval from your insurance companies within 24 to 72 hours.
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4. Copay Assistance & Financial Aid
We secure financial aid and decrease copays, out-of-pocket expenses, and high deductibles. To date, AmeriPharma® Specialty Care has secured $55 million in financial assistance for our patients.
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5. Nursing Care Coordination
AmeriPharma® puts your schedule and home environment first when scheduling and coordinating one of our specialized nurses for your in-home infusions.
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6. Delivery Coordination
Medications are always delivered in strict compliance with the specific requirements for shipping. Next-day and overnight cold-chain deliveries are coordinated around your schedule.
What Is Zirabev?
Zirabev is an anticancer drug with an active component, “bevacizumab-bvzr.” It is used to treat several types of cancer. Zirabev belongs to the class of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors that targets VEGF proteins and blocks their activity. In cancer patients, the VEGF proteins overexpress and are typically involved in forming new blood vessels within the cancer cells to provide cells with oxygen and other nutrients needed for their growth and uncontrolled division.
In 2019, the FDA approved Zirabev as a biosimilar version of Avastin (an already FDA-authorized biological drug) as it has the active substance, “bevacizumab.” Compared to Avastin, Zirabev offers the same effectiveness, works the same way, and shows the same side effects.
What is Zirabev Used To Treat?
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC)
Metastatic colorectal cancer is an advanced form of cancer that initially began in the colon or rectum but has spread to other body areas. If a patient has not previously been treated, Zirabev is used as a first-line treatment in combination with fluorouracil-based chemotherapy.
In other cases, if the patient has been treated previously with bevacizumab (Zirabev, Avastin, or Mvasi), and their cancer did not respond well, Zirabev is then used as second-line treatment in combination with chemotherapy.
Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma (mRCC)
Zirabev is used in combination with interferon-alpha to treat patients who have metastatic renal cancer (kidney cancer that has spread to other areas).
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer represents a group of cancer that begins in the women’s ovaries and spreads to other areas, such as the fallopian tube and the peritoneum.
Patients with this cancer are typically treated with Zirabev in combination with chemotherapy drugs (paclitaxel and carboplatin), followed by Zirabev alone.
If a patient’s cancer is sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy or comes back after six months, Zirabev is first used in combination with chemotherapy agents (paraplatin and either paclitaxel or gemcitabine), followed by Zirabev as a single-agent therapy.
Metastatic Cervical Cancer
In this cancer, Zirabev is used in combination with chemotherapy agents (topotecan and paclitaxel or cisplatin and paclitaxel).
Non-squamous, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Zirabev is used as a first-line treatment combined with chemotherapy agents (paclitaxel and carboplatin) in patients whose tumor is metastatic, persistent, and unresectable (the cancer cannot be removed via surgery).
Recurrent Glioblastoma
Zirabev is used as a single agent to treat glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain and spinal cord cancer.
Copay and Financial Assistance
AmeriPharma™ Specialty Pharmacy alleviates financial burdens for patients and their families
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Advanced software locates funding sources to match you with top-dollar foundation programs
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One of our copay assistance specialists will assist with the application process
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Automatic updates will be sent to you and your physician on the status of the funding
How Does Zirabev Work?
Zirabev works to slow down the growth of cancers. It contains an active component, “bevacizumab-bvzr,” which is a recombinant monoclonal (IgG1) antibody designed to recognize and bind to VEGF proteins (that typically encourages the blood vessel’s formation to provide cancer with essential nutrients to grow and divide).
Upon binding to VEGF protein, it inhibits VEGF activity. As a result, the blood vessels do not grow within the cancer cells. Due to a lack of nutrients and oxygen supply, cancer cells starve and do not progress further.
Dosage Form and Strength
Zirabev is available in a single-dose vial that is administered intravenously. The single-dose vial is available in:
- 100 mg/4 ml strength (contains 25 mg bevacizumab-bvzr/ml)
- 400 mg/16 ml strength (contains 25 mg bevacizumab-bvzr/ml)
Precaution
Zirabev therapy is not for everyone. You should consult your healthcare provider before taking Zirabev therapy if you:
- Are pregnant, as this drug causes embryo-fetal toxicity and can harm your unborn baby.
- Are planning to become pregnant. If you’re receiving Zirabev treatment, then you must use birth control.
- Are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. Since the data on Zirabev secretion in breast milk is limited, avoiding Zirabev is recommended.
- Have a previous history of hypertension, heart failure, kidney disease, and diabetes or have undergone surgery recently.
Zirabev Side Effects
Every patient reacts differently while receiving Zirabev IV infusions. Some of the common side effects they may experience during or after Zirabev infusion includes:
- Headache, backache
- High blood pressure
- Inflammation of skin and nose
- Taste changes
- Watery eyes
- Bleeding or nose bleeding
- Dry skin
- Cough, vomiting, or nausea
- Loss of appetite
Zirabev also has some severe and potentially fatal side effects which demand immediate medical attention, such as:
- Gastrointestinal perforation
- Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome
- Kidney failure
- Complications in wound healing
- Infusion-related reactions causing hypertension, tremors, trouble breathing, and chest pain
- Congestive heart failure
- Arterial thromboembolism
- Embryo-fetal toxicity
- Stroke or heart problem
- Venous thromboembolic events
- Ovarian failure
Insurances Accepted
We accept Medicare, multi-state Medicaid, Medi-Cal, Blue Shield, and most private insurances. Call us to find out more about your coverage.
Get Started in Minutes
Fill out your information and one of our specialists will call you ASAP.
How Much Can You Save?
Speak with a copay assistance specialist
(877) 778-0318
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