Soleo Health opens infusion center in Knoxville area
Company says patients want private, accessible infusion locations
Soleo Health, a pharmacy services company specializing in infusion treatments, has opened a new ambulatory center in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area for people with myasthenia gravis (MG) and other complex and rare disorders requiring infusion therapies.
The new center, in the Knoxville suburb of Farragut, has five suites with private and semi-private options.
“We chose Farragut as the ideal location for our infusion suite as it’s a rapidly expanding, thriving residential area within greater Knoxville,” Jennifer Joiner, Soleo Health’s vice president for the Southeast region, said in a company press release. “An increasing number of patients are seeking private, easily accessible infusion care settings, and Soleo Health Knoxville fills that need.”
MG is a neuromuscular condition characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue. It is commonly caused by self-reactive antibodies that target acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), which play a central role in nerve-muscle communication and muscle contraction. In generalized MG (gMG), muscle weakness affects several muscle groups.
Reducing antibody levels
In the U.S., Soleo is the distributor of Vyvgart (efgartigimod), an approved gMG treatment developed by Argenx. The treatment is administered via intravenous (into-the-vein) infusion and works to reduce the levels of self-reactive antibodies in patients who are positive for anti-AChR antibodies.
Soliris (eculizumab) and Ultomiris (ravulizumab) are also approved gMG treatments that are administered via intravenous infusions. Both of these therapies inhibit a part of the immune system called the complement cascade, which is believed to be implicated in the autoimmune response that drives MG.
Soleo can administer treatments at a patient’s home, provider’s office, or infusion center. The centers are staffed with interdisciplinary teams of nurses, clinical pharmacists, reimbursement specialists, and patient care ambassadors who treat patients with complex or rare conditions.
The new center, at 11115 Kingston Pike Road in Farragut, has flexible hours and is close to major highways, Soleo said. The company provides a referral form specific to MG patients. Soleo contracts with most local, regional, national, and government insurance plans, so most Tennessee residents are covered for services, the company said.
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