Opdivo Reignites the Drug Pricing Discussion

Ordinarily, a Japanese regulatory ruling on a new drug’s price would merit little more than a passing mention, but this is no ordinary drug; it’s Opdivo, the first representative of the new anti-PD-1 class that represents an oncology revolution.

The ruling was revealed by the Japan ministry on Friday, but — perhaps because it is available only in Japanese – has not been noted by many investors. Opdivo, known generically as nivolumab, has been filed under a rolling US submission, and the Japanese price gives the first hard indication as to whether consensus 2020 revenue of over $6bn is achievable.

Ono Pharmaceuticals, Opdivo’s originator, has negotiated a price of ¥150,200 ($1,459) per 20mg vial of Opvido, and ¥729,849 for 100mg. Opdivo had been approved for treating melanoma in Japan on July 4, and one of Ono’s more interesting analyses equates the above prices to a cost of $64,090 per patient per year in this indication.

Read the complete article: http://bit.ly/1lJZWTr

Source: EP Vantage