CSRXP: BIG PHARMA’S EGREGIOUS $158,000 PRICE TAG ON UNPROVEN ALS TREATMENT MIRRORS PRICE-GOUGING OF ADUHELM

Brand Name Drug Maker Amylyx Sets Price Tag For Relyvrio Between Five And 17 Times Estimates For A Fair Price Despite Lack Of Data on Efficacy

Washington, D.C. – The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing (CSRxP) released a statement Thursday reacting to brand name drug maker Amylyx setting a list price of $158,000 annually on the company’s new treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Relyvrio. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the treatment last week. The FDA’s approval came even though the drug has only completed Phase II trials, while most FDA-approved drugs typically require Phase III trials.

“Amylyx’s price tag for Relyvrio of $158,000 is between five and 17 times what experts estimate would be a fair price for the treatment that lacks clear evidence on its clinical value for patients and a redux of Biogen’s egregious pricing of Aduhelm,” said CSRxP executive director Lauren Aronson. “Policymakers and regulators must learn from the Aduhelm saga by acting diligently to ensure new high-priced, brand name treatments have sufficient data supporting their clinical value for patients and factoring price in comparison to value into decision-making to protect consumers, taxpayers and the health care system.”

“The approval of Aduhelm, despite a lack of consensus on the clinical value of the treatment, resulted in Big Pharma attempting to price-gouge hopeful patients and taxpayers leading to massive Medicare Part B premium increases,” Aronson continued. “Amylyx should be held accountable for this attempt to do the same by setting such an out-of-control price on Relyvrio despite a lack of evidence it will improve health outcomes for patients.”

In an August analysis, The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) estimated that a fair annual price for Relyvrio would fall between $9,100 to $30,600, citing the limited data on the drug’s efficacy.

Read more on Amylyx’s pricing of Relyvrio and the FDA’s decision to approve the drug HERE.

Read more on ICER’s estimate of a fair price for Relyvrio HERE.

Learn more about bipartisan, market-based solutions to hold Big Pharma accountable HERE.