The cell and gene therapy market is rapidly evolving, with more than 2,500 new products in the drug pipeline. Staying atop the latest in this landscape is critical for patients, providers and payers alike. These types of drugs are costly, reaching anywhere from $200,000 to $4.25 million to administer. 

At the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) annual meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, Prime Therapeutics (Prime) experts shared insights on navigating this complex area of specialty care. Brian MacDonald, PharmD, senior director of specialty clinical strategy and programs, and Soumya Vishwanath, PharmD, senior medical formulary strategy director, shared insights in the session, “Beyond the breakthrough: Practical insights for the complex gene therapy market.”  

What are cell and gene therapies?  

Cell therapy is the administration of intact or modified cells back into the body, while gene therapy is the delivery of genetic material to target cells in the body. Both are designed to treat, prevent or cure diseases, many of which are rare conditions.  

Putting patients first 

Despite the evolving landscape and potential costs, Vishwanath noted it’s imperative to keep the patient at the center of conversations. “We need to be focused on how we can deliver clinically appropriate, cost-effective treatments,” Vishwanath said.  

Administration of these therapies can take a toll on patients and their loved ones, he said, particularly as they may need to travel to a clinic or care site for therapy and miss school, work or day-to-day activities. This makes efforts to remove barriers to access and get patients the best care possible even more critical. 

“We need to make sure patients get the right treatment at the right time,” Vishwanath said. “Care coordination is a real concern, and we are all working at improving that in the health care ecosystem.”  

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Learn more about cell and gene therapies

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