What is the cost of Tysabri infusion?

davon · Newbie Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 5

My mother has multiple sclerosis for more then three years. She tried with few different kinds of drugs and she didn’t be satisfied because MS constantly progress. Her doctor finally decided to give her Tysabri. She heard that it can be very effective. Tell me what is the cost of Tysabri infusion?

aurelea · Newbie Joined: 25 Mar 2005 Posts: 1

The wholesale price of Tysabri which is administered 13 times per year is about $28,500 annually. But it works. Her doctor made good decision. Tysabri is usually given to patients who cannot use other MS treatments or for whom other MS treatments do not work. I also had similar problem and Tysabri helps me.

msladyinca · Newbie Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 1

Hi there,

Please be advised that the companies (Biogen & Elan) indicated that they
might consider raising the price of Tysabri, given recent price increases nearly across the board of existing therapies.

Currently, Tysabri costs approximately $2184 per vial for an annual cost of approximately $28,400 (for 13 infusions a year). However, consider the following...By comparison, pricing for competing therapies were as follows: $16,608 (Avonex), $20,553 (Rebif), $16,026 (Copaxone), and $17,827 (Betaseron), and some of them recently raised their prices.

So in essence, Tysabri is less than twice the cost of the older generation drugs (the ABCRs), but more than twice as effective (the efficacies of the ABCRs in preventing for relapses, there are accumulating disabilities, and slowing the disease process down ranges from 29% to 34% respectively, whereas Tysabri's efficacy is a whopping 67%! Plus, when one considers the fact that relapses are reduced with Tysabri therapy, the insurance companies know that the costs of treating each relapse with hospitalizations, Solu-Medrol, doctor visits, physical therapy, etc., are also being greatly reduced.

I have had 21 Tysabri infusions so far since restarting the medication in October 2006, and since that time, I have not had a relapse and only slight disease progression (the slight disease progression is normal for me as I have had MS for 32 plus years). My neurologist and I both agree that without Tysabri, I would be bedridden by now, and I'm not, woo hoo!

I hope this information helps, and good luck to your mother... I'm sending you many supportive hugs,

All my best - Lauren Smile

What is the cost of Tysabri infusion?

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