Hi Svannes!
In May 2003, the Food and Drug Administration approved IRESSA, a drug
made by AstraZeneca for the treatment of Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung
Cancer. The recommended daily dose of IRESSA is one 250 mg tablet.
?AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals announced today that the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for IRESSA® (gefitinib)
for the treatment of advanced non?small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).?
(..)
?IRESSA is administered as a once-a-day 250 mg pill. It works
differently than cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs commonly used for lung
cancer.?
(..)
?In the group receiving the recommended dose of 250 mg/day, 13.6% (95%
CI: 6.4-24.3) of the patients had their tumor shrink by at least 50%.
Higher doses did not give a better response and more side effects were
observed.?
The Patient Advocate Foundation
http://www.patientadvocate.org/index.php?p=240
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION:
The recommended daily dose of IRESSA is one 250 mg tablet with or
without food. Higher doses do not give a better response and cause
increased toxicity.
You may read the copy of the US IRESSA product label here:
http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/pi/iressa.pdf
The average cost per year is $20,000.
Source: page 10
SG Cowen Securities Corporation Health Care Policy Conference
July 2003
http://www.wellpoint.com/pdf/supplemental/SG_Cowen.pdf
Iressa will cost more than $20,000 per year per patient.
Source: page 3
Drug Plan Management: Yesteryear, Today and Beyond
http://www.benefitscanada.com/images/esi/esi.pdf
I went to drugstore.com to check out the price of Iressa.
Iressa
30 tablets 250MG
Price : $1,708.98
Iressa
90 tablets 250MG
Price : $5,036.85
Drugstore.com
http://www.drugstore.com/pharmacy/prices/drugprice.asp?ndc=00310048230
Using the price from drugstore.com:
1,708.98 / 30 = $56.97 per tablet
56.97 * 365 days = $20,794 a year
Or
5,036.85/90 = 55.97 per tablet
55.97 * 365 = $20,429 a year
However, according to the Department of Defense Pharmacoeconomic
Center?s New Drug Watch:
?A 30 day supply of gefitinib costs $1167.70 ($38.92/tablet). Data
from AstraZeneca?s Expanded Access Program indicate that 66% of
patients receiving gefitinib remain on therapy no longer than 3
months.?
http://www.pec.ha.osd.mil/Updates/0306web/Jun_03_Update_Page_7.htm
Search Criteria:
Iressa per year per patient
Average cost OR price Iressa
I hope you find this helpful! If anything is unclear with my answer,
please ask for clarification.
Best Regards,
Bobbie7 |
