By Angus Liu
Vertex has often talked about its admiration for Gilead, setting the big biotech’s ability to roll out multiple antivirals as a model for its cystic fibrosis endeavor. Now, though, it faces the same pricing issue once pinned on Gilead’s hepatitis C franchise. But the company refuses to play sitting duck.
In a new report, the U.S. cost-effectiveness watchdog the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review argues that Vertex’s cystic fibrosis trio—Kalydeco, Orkambi and newly approved Symdeko—need a huge price cut to achieve cost-effectiveness. Its suggested discount? Over 70%. Continue reading ‘Sham’ or public interest? ICER suggests 70%-plus discounts on Vertex’s cystic fibrosis drugs