$850K Price Tag For Blindness Drug Makes It One Of Most Expensive In World — But There’s A Twist
In a novel arrangement, drugmaker Spark Therapeutics will offer discounts based on whether or not the drug, Luxturna, works initially and remains effective.
The Associated Press:
Price Tag On Gene Therapy For Rare Form Of Blindness: $850K
A first-of-its kind genetic treatment for blindness will cost $850,000 per patient, making it one of the most expensive medicines in the world and raising questions about the affordability of a coming wave of similar gene-targeting therapies. The injectable treatment from Spark Therapeutics can improve the eyesight of patients with a rare genetic mutation that affects just a few thousand people in the U.S. Previously there has been no treatment for the condition, which eventually causes complete blindness by adulthood. (Perrone, 1/3)
The Washington Post:
Gene Therapy For Inherited Blindness Sets Precedent: $850,000 Price Tag
The drug, called Luxturna, is the realization of a long-sought scientific dream: The one-time treatment corrects a faulty gene to improve vision, allowing patients to see the stars or their parents' faces. Only 1,000 to 2,000 people in the United States are thought to have deteriorating vision caused by this errant gene, called RPE65, but Luxturna is widely expected to be the first in a wave of cutting-edge treatments that are targeted at fixing the causes of a wide range of genetic diseases — while also raising difficult questions about how to pay for them. (Johnson, 1/3)
Stat:
Spark Prices Its Gene Therapy As Most Expensive U.S. Medicine
Spark CEO Jeff Marrazzo says Luxturna’s ability to restore vision in a small number of people with a defective gene justifies the high cost, particularly because the gene therapy is only injected one time in each eye for a long-term benefit. Many investors expected Spark to charge $1 million or more for Luxturna, so the actual price will be considered a bargain by some. (Feuerstein and Garde, 1/3)
The Wall Street Journal:
Drug Firm Spark Therapeutics Will Charge $850,000 For Vision-Loss Gene Therapy
To address concerns about the cost of the drug, Luxturna, Spark said it is offering alternative payment arrangements to health insurers, including partial refunds if a patient’s vision doesn’t improve significantly after treatment. The company also is seeking U.S. government clearance to allow insurers to spread out payments for Luxturna in installments. U.S. regulators approved Luxturna last month, making it the first therapy in the U.S. to deliver a functional gene to replace a faulty disease-causing one. (Loftus, 1/3)
Bloomberg:
A Breakthrough Blindness Treatment Will Cost $425,000 Per Eye, If It Works
The company’s effectiveness-based discount is sharply different from how most drugs are currently sold. Health insurers are also used to paying for medicine over the course of a disease or over a patient’s life, in the case of some chronic conditions. A one-time treatment presented a challenge, since the cost would be paid for by one insurer or government, only to have others reap the benefits when the patient changes coverage. (Cortez, 1/3)
The Hill:
Price Of New Genetic Therapy For Blindness Set At $850K
Critics, however, say Luxturna's price is still too high, adding that people without insurance and those who have high deductibles will face the brunt of the cost. “Luxturna offers hope to hundreds of patients. But … what is a fair price that will maximize affordability and accessibility and provide a reasonable return for the drug?" David Mitchell, president and founder of the advocacy group Patients For Affordable Drugs, asked. "The answer to that is certainly not the $850,000 price tag announced today." (Weixel, 1/3)
In other pharmaceutical news —
Politico:
Pulse Check: FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb discusses his agency's work, why he took the job and what lies ahead in 2018. In a panel discussion, POLITICO reporters analyze Gottlieb's comments and discuss the looming issues facing FDA. (1/3)
