Ono, BMS switching to flat dosing for Opdivo in Japan

In November, the unit price of cancer drug Opdivo nivolumab from Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Tokyo:4528) and partner Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE:BMY) will decrease by 37.5% in Japan following a change from a weight-based dosage of 3 mg/kg to a flat dose of 240 mg per patient.

A spokesperson for Ono told BioCentury that the average cost per patient will remain unchanged as the estimated average increase in dose will offset the per unit decrease in price. Based on an estimated average body weight of 50 kg, a dosage of 3 mg/kg resulted in a weight-based dose of 150 mg, 37.5% less than the newly approved flat dose of 240 mg. Correspondingly, the unit price of Opdivo will decrease to ¥173,768 from ¥278,029 for a 100 mg vial and to ¥35,766 from ¥57,225 for a 20 mg vial...