Novartis mulling $1.5 million-$5 million price range for gene therapy Zolgensma

U.S. regulators are due to make a decision on approving Novartis' Zolgensma next month.

ZURICH: Novartis Chief Executive Vas Narasimhan said on Wednesday that the Swiss drugmaker is examining a price range for its Zolgensma gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy(SMA) of between $1.5 million and $5 million per patient.

"At a $500,000 per QALY cut-off, the medicine is cost-effective in the range of $4-$5 million, and at a $150,000 per QALY cutoff, it's cost-effective at a range of $1.5 million," Narasimhan told analysts on a call, using the acronym for quality-adjusted life year used to help assess a treatment's value.

"That's the range that we're looking at. That hopefully gives you some of the boundaries," he added.

U.S. regulators are due to make a decision on approving Zolgensma next month.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that Novartis had filed for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA)approval of the gene therapy, Zolgensma, and a decision was expected within weeks. The FDA submission was based on findings from a trial of 15 babies treated with Zolgensma.

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