Abbott, Pfizer sales and marketing update

Pfizer set the wholesale acquisition cost of newly approved non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) drug Xalkori crizotinib at $9,600 per month. Pfizer said patients will receive the drug "as long as they are benefitting from it" but the pharma would not give an estimate on total treatment duration. Using the median duration of 22 and 32 weeks in Xalkori's pivotal trials, the total treatment cost would be about $52,800-$76,800.

The companion Vysis ALK Break Apart FISH Probe test kit from Abbott will cost less than $250 per patient. FDA approved Xalkori on Aug. 26 along with the companion test, which uses fluorescence in situ hybridization technology (FISH) tests to detect translocations in genes encoding anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). The drug and diagnostic were launched immediately after approval. Abbott developed the companion test under a 2009 deal with Pfizer (see BioCentury, Aug. 31, 2009 & Aug. 29, 2011). ...