Two gene therapies for sickle cell disease are each worth up to $1.9 million, according to an April 12 draft evidence report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review.
The ICER is halfway through its eight-month process in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics' exagamglogene autotemcel and Bluebird Bio's lovotibeglogene autotemcel. In a news release, the Institute said its findings should not be interpreted as its final conclusions.
Currently, there is "very limited data" on exagamglogene autotemcel, so the ICER postponed the evidence report's publish date to July 13.
The prevalence of sickle cell disease is unknown, but CDC estimates place it at about 100,000 cases in the U.S. It is a blood disease that can spur chronic complications among all organs, and annual healthcare costs rack up to $2.98 billion, the ICER said.
The manufacturers of both gene therapies are expected to apply for FDA approval in the first half of 2023.
Read more from the 113-page draft document here.