When you bring a new cell or gene therapy product to market, you need everything to go smoothly — including access and logistics, patient support, and everything in between.
CVS Specialty® has the payor relationships, resources, operational experience and clinical expertise to safely support patients with cell and gene therapy products. Our solutions and strategies are anchored in customized support and dispensing flexibility to meet your specific product needs. And our reach and payor relationships allow us to deliver an integrated approach to patient authorization and affordability for your life-saving therapies.
Cell and Gene Therapy Customer Experience Center
We invite you to come visit our state-of-the-art, immersive Cell and Gene Therapy Experience Center in Fairfield, New Jersey.
You’ll meet our team and see firsthand how products are managed from intake to dispensing.
Todd McConnell: Welcome. I'm Todd McConnell. I lead the Health Plan and Specialty Infusion Division on the Payor Relations team.
Daisy Amann: And I'm Daisy Amann, Senior Clinical Director of Medical Benefit Management for Specialty Conditions.
Todd McConnell: Together, we manage payor relationships to help our patients get started on gene therapies as quickly as possible.
Daisy Amann: This starts with preparing payors for new gene therapies. We share a proactive clinical view of the products, their value and population impact with medical directors and chief medical officers.
Todd McConnell: We share insights and discuss pipeline gene therapies 12 to 18 months before our product is approved. This helps us proactively formulate what the prior authorization criteria should look like and positions us to facilitate the steps that bring treatment to patients.
Daisy Amann: We meet with the C-suite regularly to identify and discuss management opportunities that help them assess the financial benefits and risks. We also advise on formulary coverage, provide market insight, and support their P&T meetings.
Todd McConnell: After reviewing management opportunities, my team negotiates pricing and contracting for gene therapies in preparation for future prescriptions. We also establish business processes to streamline patient access. Cost and patient access is a concern for payors, so having a specialty pharmacy provider in the network offers pricing predictability and an alternative access channel for gene therapies. This helps address potential barriers to patients gaining timely access.
Daisy Amann: When CVS Specialty receives prescriptions, our team at the Gene Therapy Center of Excellence verifies benefits and streamlines the prior authorization process with EHR connectivity.
Todd McConnell: CVS Specialty's approach focuses on the needs of the patient, payor, and treatment sectors. From early discussions with payors on pipeline gene therapies to contracting pricing and operational workflows, our goal is to make the experience of the specialty pharmacy channel access for gene therapies well-coordinated with clear communication and timely access.
Dedicated payor relations team
We understand the unique challenges of bringing cell and gene therapy products to market. We provide payors with insights and support so patients have a clearer path to treatment.
- Payor education about pipeline therapies
- Medical policy development support
- Patient approval assistance and information coordination
- Contracting strategy to minimize the need for letters of agreement
See what our best-in-class specialty pharmacy can do for you
- Nationwide pharmacy network to optimize logistics and payor coverage
- Convenient locations near manufacturing sites and treatment centers
- Drive-thru dispensing model with quick 15-minute or less turnaround
- Ultra-cold chain infrastructure if product storage is needed
- Specialty pharmacy education for treatment centers and logistics coordination
- Ongoing communication throughout the referral journey
- PA support, including engaging our payor relations team to help minimize delays
- Information management on authorization decisions, appeals and financial assistance
- Integrated EHR connectivity to help minimize manual work, prevent errors during the PA process, and get patients started on therapy quickly and easily
- Monitoring for therapy response and safety
- Value-based contracting support
- Dedicated case manager to coordinate care and remove barriers
Patient spotlight
Life-changing gene therapy support
With our help, Dan became one of a few people in the U.S. to undergo gene therapy for hemophilia B.
Interested in learning more?
Let’s talk and find a solution that works for you and the patients you serve.
Prior authorization (PA). Electronic health record (EHR).
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*ACCESS TO 14 CELL AND GENE THERAPY PRODUCTS SOURCE: CVS Specialty internal tracking dashboard, March 2026. Includes U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and non-approved products.
