FiercePharma / by Eric Sagonowsky on
On the heels of highly anticipated cardiovascular outcomes data for PCSK9 med Repatha, Amgen has signed a money-back guarantee with Harvard Pilgrim. Through the first-of-its-kind contract, if a patient on Repatha has a heart attack or stroke, the drugmaker will provide a full refund.
As the partners note, it’s a novel contract based on data from Amgen’s Fourier study, presented in March at the American College of Cardiology in Washington, D.C.—and if Amgen has its way, it will be the first of many.
That study showed that Repatha cut heart attack risks by 27% and stroke risks by 21% over a two-year period. Together, patients saw a 19% risk reduction against heart disease and stroke in the first year and 33% afterward, SVP of global development Elliott Levy explained at the time.
Still, the drug’s performance against its primary endpoint, a composite measure, and against cardiac death risks prompted concern from analysts, pricing experts and investors. Since then, Amgen reported a quarter-over-quarter sales decline for its important launch—which the company attributed to a fourth-quarter sales tender that didn’t repeat in the first quarter—and now it’s working to build demand to overcome payer resistance to its $14,000 list price for Repatha.
Read More / Source: http://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/amgen-inks-repatha-refund-arrangement-harvard-pilgrim