Catalyst hasn't announced a price for Firdapse. But in a presentation to investors earlier this month, company officials said they could earn from $300 million to $900 million in revenue each year from the drug.

    Those revenue projections, McEnany says, represent a "peak opportunity."

    The projections are based on a generous estimate of the number of patients who could use the drug, and an assumption that Firdapse will be approved for other uses. Still, the figures suggest the company will charge from $37,500 to well over $100,000 per LEMS patient, per year.

    McEnany says Catalyst, together with BioMarin, have invested about $40 million in research and development of the drug.

    If the medicine is too expensive, he says, Catalyst will provide it to patients at a discount or free of charge.

    "All patients — and I underline and capitalize all — all patients will have access to our drug," McEnany says. "This is not something new. Most orphan drug companies do the same thing."




posted 3040 days ago