Alemtuzumab (LEMTRADA) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis is 29,000 times more expensive than gold: When was that again, when a book with the title "Nine times more expensive than Gold"** hit the headlines? A good 35 years ago, it was the antidiabetic drug EUGLUCON, containing the active substance glibenclamide, which was attracting all the attention; today it is an article worth a few cents. As now, Sanofi-Aventis is launching the antibody alemtuzumab onto the market, under the name of LEMTRADA for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), for 29,000 times the price of gold (1 x 12 mg vial for €10,653.50, equivalent to €888 per mg),*** a strategically planned overpricing of this active substance of gigantic proportions. It was only a year ago that the company withdrew the alemtuzumab-containing drug MABCAMPATH from the market, used in the treatment of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL). At that point in time, alemtuzumab still "only" cost €21.07 per mg (€1,897 for 3 x 30 mg infusion concentrate). The strategy of the company - to forego authorisation for the treatment of B-CLL, with regards to which Sanofi-Aventis actually admitted at the time that commercial considerations played a part (a-t 2012; 43: 73-4), and to establish the drug as the 40 times more expensive MS medication - was and remains obvious. Furthermore, Sanofi is seeking to establish a new high in the price level for MS medication. Had we been anticipating last year an expected price level for LEMTRADA at about the level of other expensive MS medications, for example, fingolimod (GILENYA: €2,325/4 weeks), we can now calculate a cost for LEMTRADA of €3,278**** per 4 week course of treatment, that is to say 41% more, -Red.

*

Previous version published online on 7 October 2013 as blitz-a-t

**

FRIEDRICH, V. et al.: "Neunmal teurer als Gold" rororo aktuell Nr. 4067, 1977

***

1 fine ounce of gold (31,1 g) costs €966,04 (7 Oct. 2013), that is €0,03 per milligram.

****

8 infusions of 12 mg (€85.228) should be given within two years. This corresponds to €3.278 every 4 weeks.