Replies to post #15262 on Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc (AUPH)

[Whalatane]

ZZ. Overpricing a launch drug is typical .
AMGN priced Repatha at around $12,000 a yr
Insurers placed it on a very high tier ( huge
co pays ) …. So even if U got a script , few patients paid for it .

After about 2 yrs and much back and forth , AMGN lowered the WAC to insurers to $4,500 .
Insurers lowered the Tier rating and patients like myself are now using it for $100 a month copay ( Kaiser )

I expect similar will happen with Lupkynis.
AUPH still has a lot of cash on hand ….but once they’re down to only having enough to cover one yr … they’ll make a deal

KZR ‘s cancer drug failed so stock is down around 20%
Tomorrow it will be trading as a pure play on their LN drug. P2 data in June

It’s a binary event … if the LN trial fails the Co will trade for cash on hand left

If trial succeeds … stock will probably double
JMO
Kiwi

[moosedogger]

zzaatt is correct- there is zero evidence that Lupkynis is overpriced:

https://financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/aurinia-announces-positive-cost-effectiveness-assessment-of-lupkynis-voclosporin-in-latest-icer-draft-evidence-report

Here's what ICER says:

Key Cost-Effectiveness Findings

ICER’s recommended health-benefit price benchmark (HBPB) range for belimumab is between $45,000-$61,000 per year, while ICER estimates that belimumab’s actual annual net US price is approximately $43,000 for patients remaining on treatment. ICER’s HBPB for voclosporin is between $72,000-$101,000 per year, while ICER estimates that voclosporin’s actual annual net US price is $92,000 for patients remaining on treatment.

The HBPB is a price range suggesting the highest US price a manufacturer should charge for a treatment, based on the amount of improvement in overall health patients receive from that treatment, when a higher price would cause disproportionately greater losses in health among other patients in the health system due to rising overall costs of health care and health insurance. In short, it is the top price range at which a health system can reward innovation and better health for patients without doing more harm than good.

https://icer.org/news-insights/press-releases/icer-publishes-evidence-report-on-therapies-for-lupus-nephritis/

Not overpriced, but definitely underutilized!