Coherus Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ: CHRS) announced yesterday in an SEC filing the wholesale price for its newly launched PD-1 inhibitor, Loqtorzi (toripalimab), in the U.S. market. The drug, co-developed under license from Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd. (HKG: 1877; SHA: 688180), will retail at $8,892.03 per single-use vial.
Loqtorzi received approval in late October for use in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine as a first-line treatment, as well as a monotherapy option for second-line treatment of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The approval was supported by data from the JUPITER-02 (NCT03581786) study, where Loqtorzi was administered at a dosage of 1,200 mg every three weeks alongside chemotherapy.
In contrast, Merck & Co.’s (NYSE: MRK) PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is priced at $11,115.04 for a three-week regimen, positioning Coherus and Junshi’s offering at approximately a 20% discount.
Coherus CEO Dennis Lanfear previously stated during an investor conference call that “this is a branded product with a unique indication and we will not engage in heavily discounted prices.” However, the U.S. drug distribution system often necessitates that manufacturers provide a discount on the wholesale price to wholesalers.- Flcube.com
