Novartis is having problems persuading at least a third of US insurance companies to cover its $2.1m spinal muscular atrophy gene therapy treatment Zolgensma, according to analysts at Bernstein. They said the 11 firms were “surprisingly restricted” and could be reacting to the drug’s price. Novartis had initially suggested the treatment would be cost-effective at up to $5m, but after FDA approval it agreed to allow five years instalments of $425,000 for annual. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review has priced it at up to $2.1m. Novartis said the Bernstein analysis was based on an inaccurate picture of the “reimbursement situation”.
Novartis is having problems persuading at least a third of US insurance companies to cover its $2.1m spinal muscular atrophy gene therapy treatment Zolgensma, according to analysts at Bernstein. They said the 11 firms were “surprisingly restricted” and could be reacting to the drug’s price. Novartis had initially suggested the treatment would be cost-effective at up to $5m, but after FDA approval it agreed to allow annual instalments of $425,000 for five years. The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review has priced it at up to $2.1m. Novartis said the Bernstein analysis was based on an inaccurate picture of the “reimbursement situation”.