Biogen’s Newly Approved Alzheimer’s Drug Features a $56K Price Tag

June 8, 2021

Biogen’s Aduhelm was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in Alzheimer’s disease. Its $56,000 yearly price tag is up to 22 times higher than the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER)’s estimated fair price. Critiques note the drug would bring substantial economic hardship to many patients and that its health benefits are far from established.

“Bernstein’s Ronny Gal, who didn’t ask a question on the call, also noted that if 1 million patients use Aduhelm at the current price point, total Medicare part B spending would double. That figure is probably out of range, as there are about 500,000 new Alzheimer’s diagnoses a year in the US. But a more realistic scenario, he said, is “equally mind-boggling”: If half of newly diagnosed patients start Aduhelm at the current price, the total cost to Medicare will be equal to the top five drugs in Medicare part B combined: Keytruda, Eylea, Opdivo, Rituxan and Prolia.” Read more here.