Sanders and Cummings Request Pricing Info From PTC Therapeutics for Critical Drug

WASHINGTON, March 22 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, requested information Wednesday from PTC Therapeutics, Inc. about the price they intend to charge for the brand name version of deflazacourt, a drug used to treat a deadly genetic muscle deterioration disorder. PTC recently purchased the medication from Marathon Pharmaceuticals.



Last month, the members wrote to Marathon after press reports indicated the company planned to charge $89,000 per year for the drug when it is widely available outside the United States for as little as $1,000. Marathon suspended its plans the same day and later sold the drug to PTC.



“We urge you to keep the price of this relatively common steroid at its current importation cost,” Sanders and Cummings wrote. “Doing so will allow patients to use deflazacort in combination therapies without going into bankruptcy.”



In their letter, the members also requested to know if the company intends to pursue an additional approval of deflazacort as an orphan drug to treat juvenile arthritis.



Click here to read today’s letter.