A new and pricey rare-disease drug that angered many patients — and prompted Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to protest its cost — is showing signs of becoming a hit on Wall Street.
In a call with analysts, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals (CPRX) chief executive Patrick McEnany disclosed that about 250 patients are being treated with Firdapse, which is used to combat Lambert-Easton myasthenic syndrome, or LEMS, and has a list price of $375,000. He also reported most patients are paying $10 a month, thanks to assistance programs, and payers are responding “better than expected.”
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