The Million $$question - how much for Gilenya?

[Lulu54]

And the answer .................


"Novartis Gilenya MS Pill to Cost $48,000 a Year
By Eva von Schaper - Sep 30, 2010 6:36 AM ET

AG’s multiple sclerosis pill Gilenya will cost $4,000 a month in the U.S., according to a company spokesman.

Novartis has set a wholesale price at about $48,000 annually, Eric Althoff, a spokesman for the Basel, Switzerland- based company, said by e-mail. The company has programs to help patients with the cost of the drug, he said.

Gilenya, the first multiple sclerosis pill on the U.S. market, will be more expensive than injectable competitors such as Biogen Idec Inc.’s Avonex, Merck KGaA’s Rebif and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.’s Copaxone, which cost between about $2,800 and $3,200, for a standard month’s supply, according to the Web site destinationrx.com.

“Gilenya pricing is based on the value it will deliver patients, the scientific innovation it represents and our investment in studies to support the product,” Althoff said.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Gilenya on Sept. 22. "

Source:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-30/novartis-gilenya-ms-pill-to-cost-48-000-a-year-update1-.html


Any comments?  

Lulu

[cainer]

ok  lol well thanks i was starting to feel overlooked!! ha!  ya  im just nervous about it-plus hope it works, and sooo glad you are doing good!! thanks for the info!!  hugs tick  ya know now i think about it- he had me sign a paper yesterday-duh!!  well does it help memory!!  lol

[johhanna]

The system won't let me respond to your note about cost of Gilenya.  My understanding is that the pharmaceutical company wants to get as many people as possible on it, so they are paying for the drug through support program regardless of income, up to $800/month, I believe.  I couldn't believe it when they told me it would be free!  It is through Novartis and you should be automatically signed up when your neuro does the paperwork for the drug.  Make sure and get signed up before you get your first dose and they ask for your co-pay.  I am doing good on it so far!

[Spuk]

Thanks so much shoshin! A little ray of hope goes a long long way! (*~*).

[shoshin]

Novartis is supposedly going to have a very generous patient assistance program. Check that out before you give up. It is crazy, though, that they think they should charge that much.

sho

[jumpinjiminy]

At that price, you could fly to Thailand every month for a refill and get a nice tropical vacation as well.

I love the nice inflated US prices. As if we're all made of money. They haven't read the news lately, apparently. They think we're still in a bubble economy.

[Spuk]

Do you have a link to the assistance programs for Lunesta? I used to be on Ambien and only paid $10.00 mo-(which simply quit working. I was shocked when the Neuro changed it to  Lunesta which is $35.00 a month because of the 3rd tier on my insurance. But thank God it works! Any help in RX assistance is worth trying when you pay out RX bills that could be used to pay for electricity! Thanks-and God Bless you for your never-ending help.

[Spuk]

Wow! My insurance company will NEVER go for 4K a month! They fought about Avonex at $3K a month! Will the government ever get a grip on these Pharma companies and realize if we can't pay for it-we won't be around to pay their payroll.  This is shocking news, no matter what I decide-again..my life is in their hands again.
Very depressing.

[JemmAus]

you know I REALLY love living Down Under when these discussions come up.....no clue about this new pill yet but here it is from MS Australia and the Aus Gov about Copaxane as an example:

How much does Copaxone® cost?

If you are eligible for medications through the PBS, you will need to pay a contribution fee for each month’s supply. The Federal Government pays for the remaining cost. The amount of the contribution fee depends upon whether or not you have a pension or concession card and the number of prescriptions you have had dispensed in a year. The amount of this fee is set each year by the government . In 2009 the fee for people with a Medicare card is $32.90.
The fee is $5.30 for people with a Medicare card and a pension or concession card.

Further information about the PBS and your entitlements can be viewed on the Medicare Australia website at:

www.medicare.gov.au

I have a pension card so pay $5.30 for any prescription drug.......

Jemm, in Socialist Australia lol

[Lulu54]

Sho, you can bet that I am taking  advantage of every patient assistance programs that I can get for my drugs....

Lipitor - $100/first 3 fills on the rx
Lunesta - $50 copay, for 12 months
Copaxone - $50 copay coverage for 12 months
Sanctura - $100/ first 3 fills on the rx
Ampyra - no patient will pay more than $40 copay - Accorda will pay the difference, according to company reps.

They all chip in on my co-pay in these amounts.  The profit margin is so huge they can afford this help and still keep a sizeable chunk of money for their shareholders.  Again, as a matter of full disclosure I will repeat that I have bought a small amount of stock of each of these companies  - I figure if I'm putting money into them, I should try to take some out as well.

I wish they would just roll back the prices to the consumer and give up the assistance plans.

-L

[shoshin]

For those interested, there is a website for Gilenya at http://www.gilenya.com/index.jsp

Also, according to http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseaction/show/pageid/1309, they are going to have a patient assistance program of some kind.

"Novartis AG will pay out-of-pocket costs for non-Medicare patients who use the company’s multiple sclerosis pill Gilenya when the drug, to be priced at $4,000 a month, goes on sale in the U.S. this week.

"The Swiss drugmaker will pay as much as $800 monthly in co- payments for Gilenya, the first oral medicine for the condition, the company said in an e-mail. Novartis will also help patients navigate testing and monitoring recommended by U.S. regulators who approved Gilyena on Sept. 22, paying as much as $600 per patient for that expense."

It still seems to me that these patient assistance programs are just a way for the drug companies to milk the insurance companies for more money while not driving away all the patients with super-high co-pays.

sho

[Ufrustrated2]

the USA already subsidizes the cost of medicine for other countries around the world.  just more of the same pharmaceutical lobbying to achieve "way over priced" products here.

i doubt the VA will carry that due to the expense and i wouldn't blame them though i would prefer a pill over daily injections.

i say we get another country to help subsidize meds for the USA and help the USA out for a change!!!

[Sparkysarah]

Just off to hospital to take my first oral dose on the Actellion oral drug trial. This drug is supposed to be comparable to Gilenya so in USA prices that makes today's dose a cost of about $133.    Lo!!

Wish me luck

Sarah x

[HVAC]

I was told by MS researchers the orals will be more expensive than injectables for the reason that everyone will want them over the injectables.

The problem is the Health Insurance Industry is going to want MS patients to take the lower cost injectables. Getting the insurance to okay it should be fun.

The only good side will be if Teva gets an oral drug they may allow Novartis to bring Capaxone the generic of Copaxone to the market. I think it is criminal that their is cheaper alternative no one can use. Especially since Teva breaks everyone elses' patents.

I orals work better at stopping progression but because they work better there will be more complications.

MS drugs like cancer drugs bring in many millions in profits. What can we do but pay what they ask we need the drugs.

Alex

[johnniebear]

OUCH  !!!   I guess if the results are better  than the injectables the cost would be  justlfied.

I'm not on any DMD'S yet, I'm still in shock over the prices for the injectables.


I guess  what I take away from this  is,  as  there   are more options are becoming available as they see enough profit in DMD'S. $$$$


take care
John

[Sarahsmom46]

I don't like wasting my time complaining about big pharma and how much they profit off sick people because I know 2 things, they spend money to come up with these drugs, and 2, they like their rick lifestyles, but come on...Give us a break.

They sure have  the self preservation thing down pat.  Once they have a drug that's popularity is fizzing out, they come up with another one to replace it - cost wise.  

I wonder if generic injectibles like copaxone and the others will be coming out at some point.  If so, I'll stick with them.  

This is a "PILL" come on Novartis!  

OK, off my soap box.  I'm not as excited about it as I was a week ago.

[cainer]

well i was hoping it would be cheaper- its a pill!!   urgg!!     thanks lulu!!

[essdipity]

It's amazing that the present injectables could ever be considered a cheaper alternative, no?

ess

[Mand125]

I meant "on the NHS"

Wish there was a way to edit :)

Mand

[Mand125]

I guess there won't be much chance of getting this in the NHS then if it gets approved this side of the pond :(

Thanks for the info Lulu

Mand

[figuerpa]

I agree with ess....OMG that is outrageous. I can't believe they can charge that much momey for medicine that people need to help them. That is highway robbery.

Insurance companies are not going to like that and will fight it tooth and nail. Especially since there are already the shots that are cheaper.

Thanks for the info.

Paula

[essdipity]

Oops, brain dead. 33%.

ess

[essdipity]

OMG, this is worse than I for one expected. 25% more than the already outrageously overpriced injectables!

Guess they figure the insurance companies will come around, as patients haggle for an easier treatment. My neuro didn't seem impressed.

ess