JAMA publishes cost effective analysis of PCSK 9 drugs.- Amgen/Regnereon/Sanofi

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK 9) inhibitors such as Repatha (evolocumab) from Amgen and Praluent (alirocumab) from Regeneron + Sanofi are making slow progress in the market and are affected by high prices and a lack of substantial outcomes data until trial results, such as FOURIER (Repatha) and ODYSSEY (Praluent) become available.

Reimbursement from insurers has been difficult to obtain at present price levels and only may be secured by deep discounts such as provided to Express Scripts. These are lifetime drugs and have a significant effect on health budgets. JAMA has published a cost effective analysis of the PCSK 9 inhibitors whereby authors noted that "results of multiple scenario analyses suggest that reducing the price of PCSK9 inhibitors remains the primary approach to improving the value of these therapies.".

See-

Kazi DS, Moran AE, Coxson PG, et al." Cost-effectiveness of PCSK9 Inhibitor Therapy in Patients With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia or Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease"-. JAMA. 2016;316(7):743-753. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.11004.