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Novartis CEO Calms Concerns Over Zolgensma launch

 
• By Kevin Grogan

The Swiss major has posted a strong set of financials for the second quarter and Vas Narasimhan is pleased with the roll-out of Zolgensma, Mayzent and Piqray.

Launch
Three key launches have gone as planned, the Swiss major claims • Source: Shutterstock

Novartis AG is keeping quiet when it comes to specific sales of its gene therapy Zolgensma but CEO Vas Narasimhan has said that contrary to some analyst claims, the launch is going well.

There is huge interest in Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec), which was approved in the US for all three types of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at the end of May, not least because of the fact that it is the world’s most expensive drug. The gene therapy comes with a price tag of over $2.1m, although Novartis has also proposed an annuity-like model under which Zolgensma would cost $425,000 annually for five years

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