Posted by Michael Wonder on 16 Mar 2017
Marathon's $89,000 drug scrutinised for ‘unusual’ approval
16 March 2017 - Marathon Pharmaceuticals is under new scrutiny as Washington lawmakers press U.S. regulators about the “unusual circumstances” surrounding approval of a drug that costs $89,000 a year.
Questions remain about the data used to evaluate Emflaza, a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and why Marathon was given market exclusivity, according to a letter from two lawmakers to the U.S. FDA.
A generic form of Emflaza, called deflazacort, has been available to U.S. patients for decades from overseas pharmacies at a price of about $1,000. Closely held Marathon has become one of a string of U.S. drugmakers targeted for criticism after making quick, steep increases on the prices of older, widely available drugs.
