A drug approval has some patients fearing the worst

This week the FDA approved Firdapse, a drug from Florida’s Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, meant to treat a rare neuromuscular disorder called Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome.

But many patients aren’t celebrating. For decades, they’ve had inexpensive access a comparable, but unapproved drug — often for free, from a small family-run drug company in New Jersey. Now, Catalyst has the authority to raise its price to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“So many of us are feeling desperate and scared and outraged,” one LEMS patient told STAT. “Catalyst is sweeping in to look like the heroes — when they’re actually the opposite.”

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