New gene therapy drug expected to hit market with head-spinning price tag

Kimberly Adams May 22, 2019
HTML EMBED:
COPY
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis' Basel headquarters. SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP/Getty Images

New gene therapy drug expected to hit market with head-spinning price tag

Kimberly Adams May 22, 2019
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis' Basel headquarters. SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP/Getty Images
HTML EMBED:
COPY

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve a new gene therapy drug from pharmaceutical company Novartis by the end of May.  

  • Zolgensma is a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy
  • Hundreds of children are born in the United States each year with the genetic, muscle-wasting disorder that kills many sufferers before they reach their second year
  • Industry analysts expect the price for the single-treatment therapy to be from $1.5 million to $5 million
  • Insurance companies might be reluctant to cover the drug
  • Zolgensma represents a coming wave of gene therapy drugs that likely will carry whopping price tags


There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.