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Bluebird, Vertex Gene Therapies May Answer $1m Question: Can Competition Reduce Rx Prices?

 
• By Cathy Kelly

Medicaid is expected to be the primary payer for the sickle cell treatments. Bluebird bio maintains outcomes-based arrangements are a key part of its access strategy and will overcome what appears to be a significant competitive disadvantage on price compared to the Vertex product.

Bluebird May Need To Buckle Up For A Bumpy Ride • Source: Shutterstock

The US Food and Drug Administration’s simultaneous approval of two gene therapies for sickle cell disease from Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated/CRISPR Therapeutics AG and bluebird bio on 8 December provides the competitors an equal start out of the gate, and offers another test for the Rx policy concept that intra-class competition can drive down prices.

Based on the initial list prices, though, it seems like perhaps competition cannot do that, at least not in this case, or at least not yet. Bluebird bio’s Lyfgenia has a wholesale acquisition cost of $3

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