7 August 2017 - Pharma already leads the business world in unpredictability, with billions in sales potentially riding on a few points of statistical significance in a clinical trial. 

But even within that context, a series of blockbuster medicines for hepatitis C have made for a roller-coaster ride for companies and investors. AbbVie last week threw another big curve at this market by pricing its newly FDA-approved drug Mavyret -- which might be the most effective hepatitis C medicine approved yet -- at a massive discount.

AbbVie's $13,200 monthly price for Mavyret looks like a stunning discount to the roughly $31,500 per month Gilead charges for its best-selling Harvoni. But list prices bear little resemblance to actual drug costs. After offering behind-the-scene discounts to insurance companies, pharmacy benefit managers and other payers, Mavyret's price is actually not far from Harvoni's, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.

Read Bloomberg article