Emflaza sales and marketing update

Marathon said it is "temporarily pausing the commercialization" of Emflaza deflazacort (MP-2014) to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Since the drug's approval, Marathon has faced strong reactions to the drug's proposed wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of $89,000 per year.

The company said it will "meet with caregivers and explain our commercialization plans, review their concerns, discuss all options, and move forward with commercialization based on an agreed plan of action." It did not provide a launch timeline. Marathon said that since Emflaza's approval, it has noted both support from the DMD community and "concerns about how the pricing and reimbursement details will affect individual patients and caregivers," including effects on coverage of other Duchenne products, such as Exondys 51 eteplirsen from Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SRPT, Cambridge, Mass.). Pending Emflaza's commercial launch, Marathon plans to maintain an expanded access program in which it is providing the drug to 800 patients at no cost. The company said that if new patients seek to be included in the program, it will "make that possible for free." Marathon also said it will not interfere with personal importation of deflazacort. It said that 7-9% of U.S. DMD patients receive imported deflazacort. One DMD advocate who requested anonymity said the annual cost of importing deflazacort from the U.K. is $1,200...