New World Record, Most Expensive Drug at IDR52.6 billion per Dose
- Freepik
VIVA – Hemgenix, a single-dose drug for the blood clotting disorder hemophilia, recently, set a world record as the most expensive drug in the world at $3.5 million or about IDR 54.6 billion per dose. Â
On Tuesday, November 30, 2022, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved Hemgenix, a cutting-edge gene therapy created to treat adults with hemophilia B, a serious genetic disorder in which people do not produce a critical protein needed to clot blood in case of bleeding.
Until now, specialized treatments required regular injections to maintain sufficient levels of the missing protein in patients. However, because of Hemgenix hemophilia B sufferers need one IV infusion to be cured forever. But, the only problem is one dose costs no less than IDR 54.6 billion, making Hemgenix the most expensive drug ever.
"Today's approval provides a new treatment option for patients with Hemophilia B and represents an important development in the development of innovative therapies for those experiencing the high challenge of diseases associated with this form of hemophilia," said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA Center for Biological Sciences Evaluation and Research, as quoted by Oddity Central.
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- Pixabay/jochenpippir
According to a recent cost-effectiveness analysis by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, a non-profit research organization, the price for Hemgenix is around USD2.93 million to USD2.96 million which remains unaffordable for most people.
However, despite the steep price tag, many people believe that Hemgenix has a chance of success for two reasons: existing therapies for hemophilia are also very expensive, and people with the condition live in fear of constant bleeding that can be life-threatening.
Gene therapy is getting more expensive by the year. In 2018, there was Luxturna, single-dose gene therapy for hereditary blindness, at the time, the most expensive drug in the world. The price was 'only' $850.000.
For the title of the world's most expensive drug, Hemgenix beat Zynteglo, a treatment for the blood disorder beta-thalassemia at $2.8 million.
