ISLAMABAD: AbbVie said on Monday it would launch its ovarian cancer drug Elahere in the UK at a list price matching that in the US.
US President Donald Trump has been demanding that drugmakers align domestic prices with the lowest levels paid by comparable high-income countries under the “most-favoured-nation” policy.
The US pays nearly three times more for prescription drugs compared to other developed nations.
Last week, Bristol Myers Squibb said it planned to launch schizophrenia drug Cobenfy in the UK next year at a price matching its US list price.
AbbVie was one of the 17 drugmakers to receive letters from US President Donald Trump in July outlining how they should cut prices to match those paid overseas.
The company was in discussions with Britain’s cost-effectiveness watchdog, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure the drug is valued fairly, the drugmaker said on Monday.
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AbbVie said the talks will determine Elahere’s launch in the UK. The company did not immediately respond to a request on the pricing.
Unlike in the US, where market forces determine drug prices, European governments typically negotiate directly with companies to set prices for their national healthcare systems.
Elahere, available in the US since 2022, belongs to a new class of treatments called antibody-drug conjugates, or “guided missile” drugs, that precisely target cancer cells, potentially reducing toxicity for other cells.
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