FDA approves ‘precision medicine’ drug for different cancers with same mutation

Washington Post

The price for the breakthrough drug is high. The drug’s manufacturer, Loxo Oncology, Inc., and its partner Bayer, announced Monday night that the wholesale acquisition cost will be $32,800 for a 30-day supply of capsules for adults. The cost for the liquid formulation for children will be based on the patient’s surface area but will start at $11,000 per month.

The only way to find the mutation is through much broader genetic tumor testing. But while patients at academic medical centers with advanced cancer typically are tested, many people do not undergo genetic tumor testing in the community settings where 80 percent of cancer patients receive care. And while Medicare covers some genetic testing, private insurers are much less likely to pay for it.