Shares of Scienture Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SCNX) climbed 5.8% Thursday following the company's announcement that it has obtained additional payor coverage affecting approximately 12.5 million incremental covered lives for Arbli, its losartan potassium oral suspension.
The company said the expanded coverage specifically includes greater access through Medicare Part D supplement plans alongside other commercial and government-sponsored healthcare channels. Scienture described the additions as building on its existing reimbursement footprint and increasing patient access to Arbli across the United States.
Scienture is also working to reinforce Arbli's commercial infrastructure. The company is targeting broader pharmacy participation, deeper relationships with pharmacy buying groups, greater specialty technology participation and enhanced distribution capabilities. Management said it is advancing initiatives that are expected to increase Medicaid access and extend Arbli's presence across additional healthcare channels.
"The addition of approximately 12.5 million covered lives, coupled with our growing pharmacy network, specialty technology relationships, and channel partnerships, represents another important step in increasing awareness, availability, and utilization of Arbli," said Narasimhan Mani, President and co-CEO of Scienture.
Arbli is a proprietary oral suspension formulation of losartan potassium designed to address patient access and adherence challenges, in particular for pediatric, geriatric and other populations with difficulty swallowing tablets. According to IQVIA data as of April 2026, the U.S. losartan market represents approximately $219 million in sales and about 72 million prescriptions annually.
Scienture noted that Arbli is the first and only liquid formulation of losartan on the market that does not require compounding. The FDA-approved product is indicated for treatment of hypertension in patients older than six years, for reduction of stroke risk in patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy, and for treatment of diabetic nephropathy in certain patients with type 2 diabetes.
Key points
- Scienture added approximately 12.5 million incremental covered lives for Arbli, triggering a 5.8% share increase.
- Expanded payor access includes Medicare Part D supplement plans and other commercial and government-sponsored channels - impacting payors, pharmacies and pharmaceutical distribution.
- The company is pursuing broader pharmacy participation, specialty technology partnerships and distribution improvements while advancing initiatives aimed at increasing Medicaid access.
Risks and uncertainties
- Planned expansions in pharmacy participation and distribution are initiatives the company is pursuing - their successful execution is not guaranteed by the announcement.
- New payor coverage increases potential access but does not automatically ensure immediate patient adoption or higher utilization of Arbli.