RT Oncology and Express Scripts enter into pharmaceutical drug distribution agreement

RT Oncology Services Corporation ("RainTree"), the nation's leading community oncology alliance, and Express Scripts (NASDAQ: ESRX), the nation's leading pharmacy benefit manager, today announced that they have entered into an exclusive, three-year pharmaceutical drug distribution agreement.

Per the agreement, CuraScript Specialty Distribution, an Express Scripts business, will provide pharmaceuticals, oncology supportive therapies, vaccines, biologicals and other products (excluding intravenous and infusible oncology medications) to RainTree members. The RainTree community oncology practice membership currently includes a total of approximately 700 physicians in over 50 practices nationwide and is continuing to expand as new members join. RainTree will not be distributing or marketing intravenous or infusible oncology medications through July 1, 2014.

Mike Martin, president and chief executive officer of RainTree, said, "Our agreement with Express Scripts will enable community oncology practices, which treat the majority of cancer patients in the United States, to provide access to medications at the point of care. By giving these practices the tools they need to provide better, more integrated care, this agreement represents a major step forward in our mission to revolutionize both practice performance and patient care, while reducing the cost to the healthcare system."

Gayle Johnston, president of CuraScript Specialty Distribution, said, "This agreement allows us the opportunity to better serve the needs of community-based oncologists with the depth and breadth of our solutions. By combining our expertise and scale with the unique business approach of RainTree, we believe we can do even more to help better manage the cost of treatment for physicians and patients."

This agreement is part of an ongoing series of strategic collaborations that RainTree is undertaking with other companies to further integrate and personalize care for the patients of community oncology practices. RainTree and Express Scripts have previously announced the creation of a novel, expanded oral oncology dispensing network with the goal of improving patient care by increasing point-of-care access to oral cancer medications and enhancing follow-up patient compliance and adherence.