The Meals and Drug Administration has authorised a gene remedy therapy for adults with hemophilia B that prices $3.5 million per dose, making it the world’s costliest medication.
“In the present day’s approval offers a brand new therapy possibility for sufferers with hemophilia B and represents essential progress,” Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Heart for Biologics Analysis and Analysis, stated Tuesday in an announcement.
Biopharmaceutical agency CSL Behring manufactures the gene remedy therapy Hemgenix, which permits sufferers with hemophilia to provide a protein that makes their blood clot in open wounds and halt extended bleeding.
Every dose of Hemgenix prices $3.5 million, however the gene remedy therapy solely requires a single dose, in accordance with the FDA.
Some specialists see the value as excessive however acknowledge that present therapies for hemophilia are additionally costly and say the worry of bleeding problems will drive affected person demand.
“Whereas the value is a little bit larger than anticipated, I do assume it has an opportunity of being profitable as a result of 1) present medicine are additionally very costly and a pair of) hemophilia sufferers consistently dwell in worry of bleeds,” biotechnology investor Brad Loncar instructed Bloomberg.
Advocates for hemophilia B sufferers have been additionally happy with the federal approval of the brand new therapy.
“Gene remedy is the primary therapy possibility to supply these residing with hemophilia B — and caregivers — the potential of freedom from the necessity for normal, ongoing infusions,” Kim Phelan, chief working officer of the Coalition for Hemophilia B, stated in CSL Behring’s Hemgenix announcement.
