Controversy escalated!

Although the listing of Biogen's Aduhelm further ignited the confidence of new drug developers in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, the company's doubts and pressures are increasing day by day

On June 25, following the resignation of three panelists of the U.

According to media reports, Aduhelm is priced at US$4312 per injection (based on an average weight of 74kg) in the US market, and the annual treatment cost is as high as US$56,000, which is much higher than the forecast of analysts and advisory groups

"Unreasonable", "cruel" and "unacceptable" are the sharp terms used by critics to describe the pricing.

As the controversy widened, the U.

For this reason, the investigation led by the chairman of the House Oversight Reform Committee Carolyn Maloney and the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Frank Pallone will delve into the reasons behind the accelerated approval of Aduhelm by the FDA and the extensive labeling of the drug

Two days before the House of Representatives announced the investigation, Biogen responded to Aduhelm's price issue

Biogen CEO Michel Vounatsos argued that the $56,000 a year treatment cost is "reasonable", and the value Aduhelm brings to patients, caregivers and society will justify its price

At the same time, the FDA, which is on the cusp of approval, responded to the outside world’s doubts about Aduhelm’s approval decision, saying that β-amyloid deposition is a major feature of Alzheimer’s disease, and Aduhelm can significantly reduce the deposition of this protein in the patient’s brain.

It is reported that this investigation is only the latest step in a series of measures taken by the House of Representatives on Aduhelm's approval and price.

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