United Healthcare has removed two contested Avastin biosimilars from two of its policies.
The drugs, Mvasi and Zirabev, were removed from the company's maximum dosing policy and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor commercial policy, effective Aug. 6.
The moves follow a recent meeting between United Healthcare and the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which opposed the use of the two drugs because of a lack of testing in the eye.
The academy commended United Healthcare's decision to remove the drugs from the policies and said it hoped other health insurers will do the same.
"Anti-VEGFs are critically important treatment options for patients facing vision-threatening diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration, macular edema, neovascular glaucoma and others," the medical association said. "We appreciate the insurer's willingness to listen to our position and to clarify policy language to protect patients."