Senators push for details on Sovaldi's cost
Two members of the Senate Finance Committee requested pricing information for HCV drug Sovaldi sofosbuvir from Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD), including an explanation of the difference between the drug's current cost and a lower cost projected by its original developer. In a Pharmasset Inc. forecast a U.S. price of $36,000 per course of therapy. The drug has a current wholesale acquisition cost of $84,000 for a 12-week course. The senators requested information and documents related to Gilead's $11.2 billion acquisition of Pharmasset in 2012 and the subsequent pricing methodology for Sovaldi.
Wyden and Grassley also asked Gilead to explain the difference between the U.S. cost for Sovaldi and its price in other countries, noting the drug costs $900 for a 12-week course in Egypt. The senators also requested information about the drug's R&D and marketing costs and potential conflicts of interest with physician groups that issued treatment guidelines for Sovaldi. They requested that Gilead provide the information in 60 days. ...