BioCentury
ARTICLE | Regulation

Cost-sharing arithmetic

April 27, 2009 7:00 AM UTC

The U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence last week reversed course and recommended the use of Revlimid lenalidomide from Celgene Corp. for multiple myeloma. Coupled with a similar decision in March to recommend Sutent sunitinib from Pfizer Inc. for renal cell carcinoma, the agency is signaling it is still in a mood to do deals if companies will share the costs.

Cost-sharing deals like these are likely to become more common because they work for both sides. They provide payers a way to relieve the pressure to provide access to expensive new drugs, while companies are not required to slash their list prices...