Top 5 Highest Cost Medications Per Patient

It is well known that the use of specialty drugs has increased quite a bit. According to Magellan RX’s Medical Pharmacy Trend Report, in 2014, the highest costing drugs tended to be treatments for hereditary angioedema, hemophilia and other hematologic conditions, diseases caused by errors of metabolism, and cancer.

The average spending per patient per year on the top 10 highest cost drugs was $353,000 for commercially insured patients and $271,000 for Medicare enrollees.

The top 5 high cost drugs for commercially insured patients and Medicare enrollees in 2014 were:

For Commercially Insured Patients:

1. Novoseven

This medication is approved for the treatment and prevention of bleeding for surgeries and procedures in both children and adults with hemophilia A or B with inhibitors, congential Factor VII deficiency and people with Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia with decreased or no response to platelet transfusions.

The cost per patient for this drug was reported to be $769,445 in 2014.

2. Lumizyme

This drug is used to treat Pompe Disease, which is a glycogen storage disorder in adults and children who are 8 years or older.

The cost per patient for 2014 was reported at $421,116.

3. Cinryze

This C1 esterase inhibitor is used to treat hereditary angioedema and the per patient cost in 2014 was $376,570.

4. Soliris

Soliris is an immunosuppressant that can be used to treat the breakdown of red blood cells in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinemia. It can also treat atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, a rare blood disease.

In 2014, the per patient cost $342,054.

5. Cerezyme

This drug treats type 1 Gaucher disease and is an enzyme replacement therapy. The cost per patient was $317,386 in 2014.

For Medicare Enrollees:

1. Xyntha

Xyntha is used to control and prevent bleeding in patients with hemophilia A and can prevent bleeding during surgery in these patients.

The per patient cost was $870,218 in 2014.

2. Cerezyme

See above for information about the drug.

The per patient cost for this drug was $366,496 in 2014.

3. Benefix

This Coagulation Factor IX drug is used to control and prevent bleeding in patients with hemophilia B.

The cost per patient in 2014 was $302,364.

4. Feiba

Feiba is an anti-inhibitor coagulant complex used to treat patients with hemophilia A with Factor VIII inhibitor, hemophilia B with Factor IX inhibitor, and in nonhemophiliacs with acquired inhibitors to Factors VIII, IX, XI.

This drug cost $214,153 per patient in 2014.

5. Soliris

See above for information about the drug.

The cost per patient in 2014 was $261,405