New Drug Price Questions Loom After Gilead's Cancer Purchase
- Drugmaker to get breakthrough cancer drug as part of Kite deal
- Analysts say Kite’s therapy could reach $500,000 for one dose
Gilead to Buy Kite of $11.9B in Cancer Megadeal
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Gilead Sciences Inc.’s acquisition of Kite Pharma Inc. has brought it back to a familiar -- and contentious -- dilemma: How much should a drugmaker charge for a novel drug that has the potential to cure a disease?
Back in 2013, Gilead was battered by public outrage when it priced its hepatitis C treatment Sovaldi at $84,000, or $1,000 a pill. The drug, which promised to rid patients of the viral disease in three months, also faced pushback from insurers and government plans that were expected to cover most of the cost.