Payment options for the drug include spreading out the costs over time, refunds for patients whose treatment fails and discounts for insurers that provide swift coverage. (Photo: Shutterstock)
A potential cure for a lethal childhood disorder — the first of its kind in the U.S. — is hitting the market at a cost of $2.1 million, paving the way for more therapies that bring dramatic benefits for patients, along with challenges for health-care systems.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Novartis AG's Zolgensma, a gene therapy targeting children under two years old who have a severe illness called spinal muscular atrophy. The Swiss drugmaker said it's offering novel payment options, including spreading out the costs over time, refunds for patients whose treatment fails and discounts for insurers that provide swift coverage.
Recommended For You
Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.
Your access to unlimited BenefitsPRO content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking benefits news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical converage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
