Amgen announced that it will offer discounted, direct-to-consumer sales of the injectable drug Repatha, used to treat high cholesterol.
“In support of the Trump Administration’s efforts to lower drug prices for Americans, Repatha will be available through AmgenNow at a monthly price of $239, nearly 60% lower than the current U.S. list price,” the company said in a statement. The direct-to-patient price is the “lowest among the economically developed (G-7) countries and is being offered exclusively for the first time to U.S. patients,” Amgen added.
Murdo Gordon, executive vice president of Global Commercial Operations at Amgen, said the company is “committed to finding new ways to help patients benefit from our medicines.”
“Repatha has already helped more than 5 million patients, and the AmgenNow program will make it easier for uninsured patients or those who choose to pay out-of-pocket to access treatment,” Gordon added. “This will allow even more Americans at increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events to benefit from this effective medicine.”
Amgen’s decision follows one made by Pfizer, which made an agreement with the Trump administration to “bring American drug prices in line with the lowest paid by other developed nations,” a White House fact sheet explains. The agreement further “ensures foreign nations can no longer use price controls to freeride on American innovation by guaranteeing [most-favored nation] prices on all new innovative medicines Pfizer brings to market.”
Pfizer is also required to “repatriate increased foreign revenue on existing products that Pfizer realizes as a result of the President’s strong America First U.S. trade policies for the benefit of American patients.”
