Potential Medicare and Medicaid Savings on Anti-CD20 Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

This cross-sectional study compares price data for ocrelizumab and rituximab to estimate the savings to Medicare and Medicaid if rituximab were used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis instead of the higher-priced ocrelizumab.

Drug Repurposing Via the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act

“…However, after a successful phase 2 trial, the manufacturer decided to defer pursuing FDA approval in favor of developing ocrelizumab (Ocrevus [Genentech])—a new, humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody with many more years of remaining patent-protected exclusivity than rituximab. Ocrelizumab gained FDA approval for disease-modifying MS treatment in 2017 and was priced 4 to 8 times higher than rituximab despite no head-to-head trials showing its superiority . One analysis estimated that Medicare and Medicaid would have saved $2.5 billion between 2018 and 2021 if ocrelizumab had been priced the same as rituximab over that time, demonstrating the potential savings that a drug-repurposing program could reap.…”

“…Ocrelizumab gained FDA approval for disease-modifying MS treatment in 2017 and was priced 4 to 8 times higher than rituximab despite no head-to-head trials showing its superiority . One analysis estimated that Medicare and Medicaid would have saved $2.5 billion between 2018 and 2021 if ocrelizumab had been priced the same as rituximab over that time, demonstrating the potential savings that a drug-repurposing program could reap.…”