BioCentury
ARTICLE | Politics, Policy & Law

Only the pricing is new

Makena for pre-term birth: How a low-priced drug became expensive

March 21, 2011 7:00 AM UTC

KV Pharmaceutical Co. last week drew congressional attention over the pricing of its newly approved Makena hydroxyprogesterone caproate to prevent preterm birth in women with a history of preterm delivery.

The planned pricing - $1,500 per dose or $24,000-$30,000 per course of treatment - raised eyebrows because the drug had previously been approved for use for more than 40 years, and KV arguably has played a marginal role in getting it back on the market to replace drug provided by compounding pharmacists for $10-$20 a dose...