Seattle Genetics Inc's new blood cancer drug Adcetris is will come with a price tag of $100,000 for a course of treatment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday gave its nod to Adcetris, the first drug specifically indicated for anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and the first one approved for Hodgkin's lymphoma since 1977.
Seattle Genetics on Monday said the drug will cost $4,500 per vial. In its clinical trials, the company said, patients on average received three vials per dose and between seven and nine doses per treatment. The total price would then generally vary from $94,500 to $121,500 per patient.
For Adcetris, however, the patient population is generally younger and so more likely to rely on private insurance than federal programs, making the price tag less controversial, analysts said. About 9,000 Americans a year are diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and 3,000 with ALCL. Adcetris is the first drug approved by the FDA for Hodgkin lymphoma in more than 30 years and will provide a new therapeutic alternative for patients with limited treatment options.
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