The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing released this statement from spokesman Will Holley following Novartis’ decision to price its CAR-T therapy, Kymriah, at $475,000 per treatment:
“The scientists at the National Institutes of Health, Novartis, and elsewhere who have brought this new therapy to fruition deserve real credit for a breakthrough that will change the lives of hundreds of young people who suffer from leukemia each year.
“That said, while science behind Kymriah is revolutionary, the business decision to price it at nearly half of a million dollars per treatment is not. Kymriah’s price tag is simply a continuation of the pattern of sky-high launch prices that spins further out of control each year.
“While we are very excited about the potential for CAR-T therapies to save lives, Novartis’ pricing decision disappointingly pushes an unsustainable trend even closer to the breaking point.”