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 Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 7, 2023

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 Parduhn • Sept. 19, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Drug pricing

President Trump’s efforts to install a most-favored nation pricing policy present new risks for an industry already adjusting to Medicare price negotiations.

By BioPharma Dive staff

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 Ned Pagliarulo • Sept. 7, 2023

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

Medicare names first 10 drugs for price negotiations

The Inflation Reduction Act gave the U.S. government new pricing powers, which CMS put into practice this August with its first slate of blockbuster targets.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Updated Aug. 29, 2023

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 Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 25, 2023

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 Jonathan Gardner • Aug. 24, 2023

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 Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 22, 2023

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 Parduhn • Updated Aug. 17, 2023

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 Ben Fidler • Aug. 1, 2023

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 Delilah Alvarado • July 27, 2023

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 Jonathan Gardner • July 26, 2023

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

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

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

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 Ben Fidler • June 22, 2023

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

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 Christopher Newman • June 15, 2023

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 Ned Pagliarulo • June 9, 2023

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 Christopher Newman • Updated June 6, 2023

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 Christopher Newman • June 1, 2023

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 Parduhn • May 25, 2023

AbbVie weathers first months of biosimilar challenge to top-selling Humira

While Humira sales declined, the drop was mostly due to price concessions AbbVie made to secure equal insurer access in the face of copycat competition.

By Ned Pagliarulo • April 28, 2023

CMS removes 7 drugs from list marked for price hike penalties

After revising its calculations, CMS removed Gilead’s cancer cell therapies Yescarta and Tecartus, as well as 5 other medicines, from the first set of drugs subject to rebates under a provision of the IRA.

By Christopher Newman • March 31, 2023

Ohio AG sues Cigna, Humana for alleged PBM price fixing

The state’s Attorney General David Yost called pharmacy benefit managers “modern gangsters,” claiming in a suit filed Monday they shared pricing information and drove up drug prices.

By Hailey Mensik • March 28, 2023