UPDATE 1-Irmat Pharmacy says faces termination by UnitedHealth's OptumRx

(New throughout, adds background and details from lawsuit)
By Deena Beasley
Nov 13 (Reuters) - Specialty pharmacy Park Irmat Drug Corp
is suing OptumRx, saying the pharmacy benefit unit of
UnitedHealth Group (N:UNH) UNH.N plans to remove Irmat from its
network as of the end of the month.
In the suit, filed late on Thursday in New York Supreme
Court, Irmat said it received notice that it will be cut off
from reimbursement by OptumRx, which operates a mail-order
pharmacy that competes with Irmat, particularly for medicines
that treat dermatological ailments.
Irmat is the latest specialty, mail-order pharmacy to be
dropped by a payer after drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals (N:VRX)
International Inc VRX.TO was accused of using its close ties
with Philidor Rx Services to improperly inflate revenue. Valeant
has denied the allegations and cut ties with Philidor, prompting
other payers to follow suit.
OptumRx did not have an immediate comment on the lawsuit.
Several pharmacy benefit managers, including OptumRx, have
removed Philidor from their networks and said they are
evaluating other specialty pharmacies.
Express Scripts Holding Co ESRX.O , the largest U.S.
pharmacy benefit manager, has cut Linden Care pharmacy from its
network, citing close ties with drugmaker Horizon Pharma LLC
HZNP.O .
Irmat is seeking an injunction barring Optum from
terminating or excluding it. Irmat said it was in danger of
going out of business as the result of Optum's action.
Irmat's mail-order business has been an unmitigated success.
From 2012 to 2015, the pharmacy's business grew exponentially,
both in revenue and geographic scope.
By way of example, Irmat's revenue from Optum members
increased from approximately $1.99 million in 2012, to $3.8
million in 2013, to $15.3 million in 2014, and was projected to
grow to $33 million in 2015.
In its lawsuit, Irmat says it began in 2013 to participate
in programs sponsored by drugmakers Galderma SA and Aqua
Pharmaceuticals under which the manufacturers covered patient
co-payments on leading dermatological drugs.
Galderma is owned by Nestle SA NESN.VX . Aqua is owned by
Almirall SA ALM.MC .