paladin/PH - Great points on the politics PH.

On the pricing of new drugs the conversation is mostly about cost/benefit and NNT. New drug prices seems more about what the payors are willing to pay to save events and future cost savings.

RVX is about 21 years into the development of ABL and somewhere around $700 million +/- which is quite low for a potential mega blockbuster. At this point there is about a 53% chance we will pass this trial. If we do pass BoM that percent goes up to about 86% which still leaves a chance that it will not get approval even after a successful trial (as much as we don't want to talk about that aspect). There will be many more years of testing in the "other indication areas" that may end up costing billions more, hopefully though while the drug is producing revenue.

The cost of drug development is high and the risks are real which the law makers understand. It seems that the big issue politically is about the repricing of existing prescription drugs and not so much the price of brand new drugs.  In ABL's case the CKD and cognition angles may be vary important in the pricing exercise as there are few if any competitors in this space that have the effect that ABL may have.

All IMO, dyodd.

tada