This article appeared in the Fresno Business Journal.

Integrated Prescription Management (IPM), a leading pharmacy benefits management company in Fresno, has signed a contract with Utah-based Myriad Genetics, Inc. to launch a new program for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Vectra is an advanced blood test that helps physicians understand the extent of a patient’s inflammation, predict the risk of permanent joint damage and determine the appropriate course of treatment. Symptoms can vary widely based upon genetics, and Vectra measures the levels of 12 biomarkers in the blood and combines them into a quantitative score.

If the score stays below a certain threshold, the patient may be spared more costly treatments, saving drug plan sponsors more than $5,000 a month.

“RA represents one of the highest cost disease states, and there is significant evidence that Vectra can improve patient outcomes while lowering healthcare costs for our members,” said Rich Adams, chief operating office of IPM. “We look forward to working with Myriad to collect further clinical evidence supporting the value of these tests and to increase access among our members.”

Nearly 1.5 million Americans live with rheumatoid arthritis. Over time, this disease can cause severe damage to bones and cartilage, causing permanent disability.

Integrated Prescription Management has made multiple appearances on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies, coming in at No. 3,171 in 2016 with revenue of $110.4 million for 2015. The company develops and manages pharmaceutical benefit plans for employers and consumers.