Drug Pricing

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    Amicus Therapeutics
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    BIO names longtime Amicus head John Crowley as its new CEO

    Crowley, a rare disease advocate who led Amicus for nearly two decades, will take the reins as the industry group seeks to challenge Medicare’s new drug pricing powers.

    By • Dec. 5, 2023
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    Courtesy of BioMarin Pharmaceutical
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    BioMarin secures hemophilia gene therapy coverage in Germany

    Drawn-out negotiations led to a lower price than initially expected, but analysts called the agreement a step forward for the biotech company.

    By Kristin Jensen • Nov. 29, 2023
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    Roche
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    Trendline

    Biosimilars

    The arrival of lookalike competition to AbbVie’s Humira in the U.S. presents an opportunity, and a test, for the cost-saving potential of biosimilars.

    By BioPharma Dive staff
  • The Federal Trade Commission headquarters is pictured in Washington, D.C. The agency's proposed noncompete ban may face legal challenges on several grounds.
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    RiverNorthPhotography via Getty Images
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    FTC challenges patents held by nine big drugmakers, citing unfair competition

    The agency claims intellectual property for emergency allergy shot EpiPen and asthma medication Advair was “improperly listed” in an FDA database.

    By • Nov. 8, 2023
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    nopparit via Getty Images
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    Biogen, Sage set price of postpartum depression pill at $15,900

    The price is below what some analysts had predicted and significantly less than $34,000 Sage initially set for its earlier postpartum infusion, Zulresso.

    By • Nov. 7, 2023
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    Rebecca Pifer/BioPharma Dive
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    PBMs, PhRMA trade blame over drug costs in House hearing

    Pharmacy benefit manager lobby PCMA and drugmaker lobby PhRMA pointed fingers over problems in the prescription supply chain during the House committee's second hearing on the PBM industry.

    By Rebecca Pifer • Sept. 19, 2023
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    Permission granted by Astellas
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    Astellas withdraws lawsuit challenging Medicare drug price program

    The drugmaker said it still believes the U.S. government’s price negotiation powers are unconstitutional, but is pulling back a lawsuit it filed in July.

    By • Sept. 7, 2023
  • Joe Biden stands at a podium flanked on either sides by screens that read: "lowering costs for American families."
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    Win McNamee / Staff via Getty Images
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    Medicare named the first 10 drugs up for negotiation. Now what?

    The list of blockbuster cardiovascular, diabetes and cancer drugs gives the industry a window into how regulators are approaching price negotiations.

    By Karissa Waddick • Aug. 30, 2023
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Medicare names first 10 drugs for price negotiations

    The list includes the top-selling blood thinners Eliquis and Xarelto, as well as the arthritis drug Enbrel and heart failure medicine Entresto.

    By • Updated Aug. 29, 2023
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    Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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    AstraZeneca the latest pharma to challenge drug pricing law

    The drugmaker's lawsuit follows similar legal challenges from Merck & Co., Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson, among others. 

    By • Aug. 25, 2023
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    CVS launches new venture in biosimilar drug experiment

    The subsidiary, called Cordavis, will work directly with manufacturers to market or co-produce low-cost biologic drugs, starting with Novartis’ Humira copy.

    By • Aug. 24, 2023
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    Boehringer Ingelheim
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    Boehringer sues to block US drug price program

    The pharma’s suit, which claims Medicare’s new power to negotiate certain drug prices is unconstitutional, comes days before the agency will reveal the first 10 medicines to be included under the plan.

    By • Aug. 22, 2023
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    Bruce Bennett via Getty Images
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    Blue Shield of California drops CVS Caremark in pharmacy benefit overhaul

    BSCA has kicked CVS Caremark, the largest pharmacy benefit manager in the country, to the curb and is electing to carve out various pharmacy functions with companies like Amazon instead.

    By Rebecca Pifer • Updated Aug. 17, 2023
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    Courtesy of EQRx
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    EQRx to sell to Revolution Medicines after failed bid to upend US drug pricing

    The all-stock deal is a quiet end for the ambitious biotech, which was sold for its billion-dollar bank account after the FDA derailed its plans to develop low-cost cancer medicines.

    By • Aug. 1, 2023
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    Leon Neal via Getty Images
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    RSV vaccines

    GSK confident in RSV vaccine launch, but sets expectations for ‘steady build’

    GSK expects its respiratory syncytial virus vaccine will be a multibillion dollar product. But at the beginning, it’s predicting a slower launch than for its fast-selling shingles shot.

    By • July 27, 2023
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    Courtesy of AbbVie
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    Patent thickets

    Biosimilar makers split strategies in bid to take on top-selling Humira

    In challenging AbbVie for share of a $19 billion drug market, competitors are testing whether high upfront discounts or behind-the-scenes rebates can win them an advantage.

    By • July 26, 2023
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    J&J joins pharma allies in challenging US drug pricing law

    The pharma claimed in federal court that the Inflation Reduction Act, which threatens sales of its blood thinner Xarelto, amounts to “confiscation of constitutionally protected property.”

    By Kristin Jensen • July 19, 2023
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Pharma’s strike-from-all-sides attack on the IRA could end up at the Supreme Court

    Industry lawsuits have taken a ‘multi-pronged’ approach to challenge the Inflation Reduction Act’s price negotiation program on constitutional grounds. 

    By Alexandra Pecci • July 6, 2023
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    Sarah Silbiger via Getty Images
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    Alvotech to raise cash after third FDA rejection for Humira biosimilar

    The latest regulatory setback, tied to continuing manufacturing issues, ensures Alvotech and partner Teva won’t be able to launch their drug alongside a wave of emerging Humira copycats.  

    By Kristin Jensen • June 29, 2023
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    Courtesy of Sarepta
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    Sarepta prices Duchenne gene therapy at $3.2M

    The cost makes Sarepta’s treatment among the most expensive medicines in the world. But company executives said they don’t expect significant insurer pushback.

    By • June 22, 2023
  • An injector and box of Coherus BioScience's Yusimry drug.
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    Courtesy of Coherus BioSciences
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    AbbVie, Coherus mend dispute over low-price Humira biosimilar

    The biosimilar developer’s plans to set steep discounts on its copycat version of AbbVie’s Humira set off a legal back-and-forth between the companies.

    By Kristin Jensen • June 15, 2023
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    zorazhuang via Getty Images
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    Pharmaceutical companies search for IRA response as they brace for drug pricing talks

    Lobbying group PhRMA does not expect any near-term changes to the IRA’s drug pricing provisions, but is attempting to lay groundwork for future changes.

    By • June 15, 2023
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    Medicare sets next tranche of drugs to face price hike penalties

    CMS named 43 Part B drugs for which prices rose more than inflation, and which will have lower coinsurance rates next quarter as a result. 

    By • June 9, 2023
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    Kena Betancur via Getty Images
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    Merck sues to block Medicare negotiation of drug prices

    The drugmaker’s lawsuit claims the new pricing powers granted by the Inflation Reduction Act are unconstitutional and “tantamount to extortion.”

    By • Updated June 6, 2023
  • An injector and box of Coherus BioScience's Yusimry drug.
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    Courtesy of Coherus BioSciences
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    Coherus sets steep discount for Humira copycat, plans direct sales

    The biotech will price its biosimilar Yusimry at 85% below Humira’s list price when it launches next month, and charge even less if bought through Mark Cuban’s pharmacy.

    By • June 1, 2023
  • Rep. Comer sits in front of a poster outlining the cost differences between a drug dispensed at Cost Plus Drugs versus CVS.
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    Rebecca Pifer/BioPharma Dive
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    House lawmakers, PBM lobby spar over committee hearing

    At the latest congressional inquiry into pharmacy benefit managers, lawmakers argued the middlemen profit at the expense of patients and taxpayers.

    By Rebecca Pifer • May 25, 2023