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Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) has expanded its specialty pharmacy services with a unit dedicated to gene and cell therapy services, the company announced late Wednesday.
Effective Aug. 1, the new Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy business will replace the healthcare giant's existing specialty pharmacy offering, AllianceRx.
Operating under WBA's core U.S. retail pharmacy division, it will employ more than 1,500 specialty-trained pharmacists across four central specialty pharmacies and nearly 300 community-based specialty pharmacies.
Gene and Cell Services Pharmacy and Innovation Center, an 18,000-square-foot center located in Pittsburgh, PA, will also be part of the new unit.
Walgreens' (WBA) focus on cell and gene therapies comes months after Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) and CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) received FDA approval for the first gene-editing therapy in the U.S.
Branded as Casgevy, the one-time therapy is indicated for sickle cell disease in patients aged 12 years or older. At the time, the agency also approved a rival gene therapy from bluebird bio (BLUE) for the same indication.
Walgreens expects its specialty pharmacy unit to be the largest independent provider of specialty pharmacy services, generating ~$24B in annual revenue.
Major specialty pharmacy operators in the U.S. include CVS Health (CVS). Cigna (CI), UnitedHealth (UNH), Humana (HUM), Walgreens (WBA), Centene (CNC), McKesson (MCK), Walmart (WMT), and Rite Aid (OTC:RADCQ).
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