Catch up on March’s top pharma news in EMJ GOLD’s monthly round-up. From companies slashing inhaler costs to new hope for the UK life sciences sector, there’s plenty to discover
Words by Jade Williams
4 March
All the drug makers affected by the US Inflation Reduction Act have responded to the government’s pricing suggestions with counter offers, reports the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS). This won praise from the NSS, who said they are “glad the drug companies are coming to the table”. If the two sides can agree on what they both consider to be fair prices, these will be published by 1 September 2024.
6 March
The UK is set to benefit from a £650m investment by AstraZeneca, the company announces, with the UK government hailing it as a win for the country’s life sciences sector. A new vaccine manufacturing facility in Liverpool will receive the largest chunk of the pot, with an investment of £450m, while the remainder will fund 1,000 new employees at the company’s existing site in Cambridge.
7 March
Boehringer Ingelheim announces it is capping the price of its inhaler products in the US at $35 per month, reducing out-of-pocket costs for the most vulnerable patients. In a press release, Jean-Michel Boers, President and CEO, Boehringer Ingelheim USA, said that while the company “cannot fix the entire system alone, [it] is providing a solution to make it more equitable”.
In addition, it’s good news for the early-stage Alzheimer’s space as Eisai releases positive forecasts for the availability of its new drug to treat the disease. It predicts that around 398,000 patients worldwide will be eligible for the treatment in 2026, rising to 3.32 million by 2032.
14 March
FDA approves the first treatment for patients with noncirrhotic non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The drug, developed by Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, will “for the first time, provide a treatment option for these patients, in addition to diet and exercise”, said Nikolay Nikolov, Acting Director, Office of Immunology and Inflammation, FDA. By at least one estimate, approximately 6-8 million people in the US are currently living with NASH.
18 March
AstraZeneca joins Boehringer Ingelheim in slashing out-of-pocket costs for its respiratory inhaler portfolio in the US, setting the monthly cost for patients at $35. Pascal Soriot, AstraZeneca’s Chief Executive, said this way “patients can afford the medicines they need, not just today, but for the future”. He also encouraged other companies to join them in such a reform. “We cannot do it alone,” he added.
20 March
GSK becomes the third company to announce a $35 price cap on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease inhalers, joining Boehringer Ingelheim and AstraZeneca in their efforts to improve access to respiratory medicines in the US. Maya Martinez-Davis, President, U.S. Commercial, GSK, said the company is “committed to bringing innovation and accessibility to patients with respiratory diseases”.
