Civicascript says its generic version of Ampyra offers major savings
Company recommends $37/month price cap
A generic version of Ampyra (dalfampridine), used to improve walking in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), is now available in the U.S. at a price its developer said is almost $1,000 a month lower than average.
Civicascript will charge pharmacies $16 for each 60-tablet bottle, and recommends they sell it to patients for no more than $37 a bottle. The company said that’s about $960 a month less than the average cost of other generic versions of dalfampridine sold at traditional pharmacy benefit manager-affiliated pharmacies. Consumers can confirm they’re not being charged more than Civicascript’s maximum retail price by scanning a QR code on the bottle.
The company launched a low-cost generic version of Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) earlier this year. Civicascript says the treatment for relapsing forms of MS can save consumers more than $4,000 a month.
‘Everyone benefits’ from cost transparency
“We’ve brought four new products to market just this year, saving money for patients and payers while transforming the system along the way,” Brent J. Eberle, Civicascript’s president, said in a company press release. “We’ve shown that when you create transparency and align all stakeholders to prioritize sustainable low costs, everyone benefits.”
Civicascript works with manufacturers to produce low-cost versions of high-priced drugs and works with insurance companies and pharmacies to ensure the savings are passed on to patients. The company said it chose dalfampridine as a priority product because of its high list price and “significant patient need.”
While generics may cost less than their brand-name counterparts, some “are more expensive than they need to be,” Civicascript said. Studies have linked the cost of medications to patient adherence to treatment plans.
Ampyra was approved in the U.S. in 2010 to improve walking in adults with MS. It is taken orally as extended-release tablets at a maximum recommended dose of 10 mg twice daily.
The medication works by blocking the activity of potassium channels, specialized proteins that help regulate the transmission of electrical signals in nerve cells. In MS, damage to the protective myelin coating around nerve fibers makes it harder for nerve cells to send messages, and blocking these channels can improve signal flow along damaged nerves, which may help with walking.
About the Author
