Why Pricing Orkambi Below Kalydeco Is A Savvy Strategy For Vertex

Although Orkambi is priced lower than its predecessor Kalydeco, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. may have made a very smart move by somewhat sidestepping the current controversy over expensive specialty drug costs while banking on volume to still grow its revenues.

When Kalydeco (ivacaftor) launched in 2012 as the first cystic fibrosis drug to address the underlying cause of the disease, Vertex set a WAC of $294,000, which has since increased to $312,000 Also see "Vertex Gets Quick FDA Approval Of Kalydeco; Prices New CF Drug At $294,000 Per Year" - Pink Sheet,