Prime Therapeutics named Mostafa Kamal as its next CEO and president earlier this week, succeeding longtime leader Ken Paulus. 

Kamal, who currently serves as president of Prime Therapeutics and CEO of subsidiary Magellan Rx, will take the helm following Paulus’ retirement. A specific date for when Paulus will leave Prime Therapeutics was not included in a company press release published Monday.

“I’m honored to lead this organization at a time when we have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of the patients we serve,” Kamal said in a statement. “Our newly combined organization has the right solutions, scale and know-how to be a powerful player in this market. I’m excited to lead the exceptionally talented teams that are making that vision a reality.”

Paulus stated he is leaving the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) in “capable hands” as he passes the torch. Similarly, Maurice Smith, Prime Therapeutics’s board chair, called Kamal’s vision for the company “inspiring and bold.”

Kamal, who served as CEO of Magellan Health, joined Prime Therapeutics following a $1.35 billion merger closed in May 2022. Now, the combined entity serves 38 million members across the U.S.

Prior to leading Magellan Health, Kamal was SVP and general manager of the company’s specialty pharmacy business. Additionally, he held the role of chief underwriting officer at the company. He started his career at Medco Health Solutions, which is now part of Cigna’s Express Scripts.

Kamal’s promotion comes as Prime Therapeutics and other PBMs find themselves in the crosshairs of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The ongoing drug pricing push, which has historically fixated on the roles of pharma companies and payers, has now refocused to examine how PBMs fit into the equation.

Earlier this spring, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on how PBMs affect prescription drug prices as they interface with drugmakers, employers and insurers. A later hearing by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee resulted in further bipartisan criticism of PBMs.

In addition to being under the federal microscope, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit in March against several major PBMs, including Prime Therapeutics, alleging that the organizations were involved in price-fixing and limiting coverage of insulin as well as other drugs.