Firdapse re-catalyzes pricing debate

A decision by Catalyst Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRX) to charge $375,000 a year for Firdapse amifampridine phosphate, a drug that was previously available for free, has re-catalyzed debate about the U.S. government’s drug exclusivity policies.

The company announced the wholesale acquisition cost for the drug, which late last month became the first drug approved by FDA to treat Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), on a conference call on Thursday...