America’s New Most Expensive Drug Reignites Debate Over How to Price Gene Therapies

December 8

The FDA on Nov. 22 approved Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec-drlb), the first gene therapy for adults with hemophilia B, a genetic bleeding disorder. CSL Behring, the medication’s commercial rights holder, set a list price of $3.5 million, making it the most expensive drug in the U.S.

That price exceeds the $2.96 million health benefit price threshold (HBPB) that the nonprofit Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) determined recently in an evidence report, meaning it is not cost-effective according to the nonprofit’s guidelines.

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Radar on Drug Benefits

Tim Casey

Tim has worked as a reporter and editor for more than 20 years. Before joining AIS Health in December 2021, he was a business reporter covering the commercial real estate industry’s capital markets for four years. He previously covered health care business issues for two medical publishing companies and high school, college and professional sports for the Sacramento Bee newspaper. Tim has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and an M.B.A. from Georgetown University.

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America’s New Most Expensive Drug Reignites Debate Over How to Price Gene Therapies

Tim Casey

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Lauren Flynn Kelly Executive Editor, AIS Health, and Managing Editor, Radar on Medicare Advantage

Angela Maas Managing Editor, Radar on Specialty Pharmacy and Spotlight on Market Access

Leslie Small Managing Editor, Health Plan Weekly and Radar on Drug Benefits

Peter Johnson Reporter, Health Plan Weekly and Radar on Drug Benefits

Tim Casey Reporter, Health Plan Weekly and Radar on Drug Benefits

Carina Belles Reporter, Radar on Medicare Advantage and Spotlight on Market Access

Jinghong Chen Reporter, Health Plan Weekly and Radar on Drug Benefits

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