Is the new Novartis MS drug overpriced? ICER thinks so

Mayzent, the newly approved Novartis drug for multiple sclerosis, is “far out of line” in its pricing, according to an analysis from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review. The drug doesn't merit the $88,500 list price, ICER says, because the FDA approved it for a different patient population than was studied in late-stage trials.

A more appropriate price range for the drug, depending on the approval criteria, would range anywhere from $8,000 to $32,000, STAT's Ed Silverman reports.

Some critics, though, aren't so sure, and are using the watchdog’s analysis to push back on the approach it takes to assess the value of new medicines.