Dive Brief:
- The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), an independent nonprofit that evaluates clinical and cost effectiveness of new medicines, found GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) new asthma drug Nucala (mepolizumab) to be significantly overpriced.
- According ICER's analysis, Nucala should be priced in the $7,800 to $12,000 range versus the current list price of $32,500.
- GSK told Reuters it believes Nucala is fairly priced.
Dive Insight:
Nucala adds a strong option to the therapeutic armamentarium for treating asthma. It's a once-monthly injectable, boosting convenience and thereby enhancing both compliance and adherence.
ICER researchers found Nucala is clinically effective in reducing asthma attacks and symptoms, while also decreasing the need for oral steroids. However, ICER is uncertain whether the benefits of Nucala will persist over the long term. The evidence wasn't strong enough due to the short length of clinical trials.
GSK disagreed with ICER's assessment, asserting Nucala's ability to control severe asthma attacks helps reduce direct and indirect costs.
ICER also analyzed Novo Nordisk's long-acting insulin Tresiba, which it said was priced reasonably. Although the list price was 8% to 10% too high, most discounts would bring that down to a fair price.