BioMarin's hemophilia gene therapy could have warranted a record price tag, ICER finds

A draft report from the drug pricing watchdog concluded that, under the right conditions, Roctavian may be cost-effective at a price of $2.5 million.

By Jacob Bell • Aug. 28, 2020

The cost of medication: A critical provider/patient dialogue

Read a discussion with a Pharmacist and M.D. about how to overcome obstacles related to medication affordability

Aug. 20, 2020

Mylan launches copy of Biogen's top drug despite ongoing court battle

Mylan's launch of a generic copy of the multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera comes earlier than expected, and risks a court siding with Biogen on a key patent.

By Ben Fidler • Aug. 19, 2020

Moderna gets $1.5B from US for coronavirus vaccine supply

The U.S. has already invested heavily in Moderna's shot, having previously committed $1 billion to fund clinical trials and manufacturing scale-up. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 11, 2020

Moderna sets high price in early coronavirus vaccine supply deals

Early preorders for small quantities of Moderna's shot set a price per dose of $32 to $37, although the biotech plans to charge less in larger agreements.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 5, 2020

Bausch Health to pay $45M to settle US charges over Valeant-era accounting

The agreement comes four years after an accounting scandal led to the unraveling of then-Valeant's image as a new breed of drugmaker.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 3, 2020

Europe secures supply of Gilead's COVID-19 drug remdesivir

For about $75 million, the European Commission will secure enough doses of the in-demand drug to treat 30,000 patients. 

By Kristin Jensen • July 29, 2020

Trump invites high-stakes showdown with big pharma as election looms

Industry officials refused to attend a White House meeting called after Trump announced executive orders meant to revive several drug pricing proposals

By Jonathan Gardner • Updated July 28, 2020

EQRx, gearing up for a price war with big pharma, buys two cancer drugs

The unusual startup aims to speed potential rivals to blockbuster medicines Ibrance and Tagrisso to market and price them at a "small fraction" of the cost, CEO Alexis Borisy told BioPharma Dive.

By Ben Fidler • July 23, 2020

Federal government accuses Regeneron of kickback scheme for top-selling drug

In a lawsuit, the U.S. attorney's office in Boston alleged Regeneron used a charity as a "conduit" to cover patient co-pays for its eye drug Eylea.

By Ben Fidler • June 24, 2020

Price for Gilead's COVID-19 drug should shrink if cheap steroid widely used, ICER says

The drug pricing watchdog calculated a lower cost-effective price for remdesivir if dexamethasone, newly shown to help the sickest COVID-19 patients live, becomes standard of care.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 24, 2020

With new proposal, Trump administration tries to encourage 'value-based' drug deals

With an eye toward a coming wave of pricey gene therapies, CMS is seeking to make it easier for drugmakers and insurers to enter into contracts linking payment with patient outcomes.

By Ned Pagliarulo , Jonathan Gardner • Updated June 18, 2020

Pressure on generic drugmakers increases with new price fixing lawsuit

The case claims that companies, including Pfizer, Mylan and Novartis, divided the market up into a "fair share" arrangement that allowed them all to raise prices without fearing competition.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 10, 2020

After donation to the U.S., Gilead outlines plans to distribute COVID-19 drug worldwide

Gilead is negotiating licenses for remdesivir with overseas manufacturers and charities, which parallels past efforts with its hepatitis C and HIV drugs.

By Jonathan Gardner • May 6, 2020

With new estimate, ICER sets terms of debate on pricing Gilead's COVID-19 drug

The influential watchdog group judged Gilead's remdesivir would be cost effective at $4,500 per treatment course, setting the stage for what's likely to be a controversial decision by the company. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • May 4, 2020

Gilead may have a drug for COVID-19. Wall Street asks whether it will profit

The biotech is donating its current supply of remdesivir. Afterwards, will it make money on the drug, or continue to take losses for the greater good? 

By Ned Pagliarulo • May 1, 2020

Merck, Samsung join newly crowded market for Herceptin biosimilars

Ontruzant, which will be sold by Merck, is the fifth copycat version of Roche's top-selling breast cancer drug to launch in the U.S.

By Kristin Jensen • April 15, 2020

New sickle cell drugs priced too high, ICER says

At more than $80,000 a year, therapies from Novartis and Global Blood aren't cost-effective, the group says in its first assessment using a new real-world evidence platform.

By Jonathan Gardner • March 13, 2020

FDA, FTC put drugmakers on notice about tactics to block biosimilars

A joint agency meeting called out deceptive advertising and anti-competitive practices that may have kept the U.S. from catching up to Europe in establishing a market for lower-priced biologics.

By Jonathan Gardner • March 9, 2020

Pfizer, Amgen, Lilly spent most to lobby Congress, study finds

Spending by the industry ramped up at key times, including around the 2016 presidential election and just before the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

By Kristin Jensen • March 4, 2020

High prices fuel pharma profits. New research provides more context

Drugmakers often enjoy significantly wider net income margins than large companies in other industries, and those profits have come amid steady list — and net — price hikes for hundreds of medicines.

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 3, 2020

New estimate puts cost to develop a new drug at $1B, adding to long-running debate

Pharma companies spend $300 million to $400 million bringing a new medicine to market, but per-product R&D costs are much higher after accounting for the many drugs that fail in testing.

By Jonathan Gardner • March 3, 2020

Patient group pushes Trump-backed drug pricing bill

A new national TV ad campaign from Patients For Affordable Drugs urges Congress to pass a bipartisan bill from the Senate Finance Committee. 

By Kristin Jensen • Feb. 26, 2020

Amid coronavirus fears, a generics giant pledges price stability

For the roughly two dozen drugs Sandoz deemed essential, it will refrain from list price increases, rebate decreases or other actions that would increase commercial drug costs for healthcare systems.

By Jacob Bell • Feb. 26, 2020

In a nod toward pharma, ICER makes deal to access real-world evidence

A partnership with Aetion will give ICER more information to include in its drug reviews, but could renew debate on the usefulness of evidence collected outside of clinical study.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 24, 2020