Stories

Gene therapies' accessibility problem

Adapted from PwC Health Research Institute; Graphic: Axios Visuals

Gene therapies are physically out of reach for many patients, on top of their cost, according to a new PwC Health Research Institute report.

Why it matters: This further exacerbates the rural-urban divide in access to care.

By the numbers: The report looks at 4 treatments approved in the U.S. In 13 states, none of the 4 treatments were available, as of July. And there are only 5 zip codes nationwide in which all 4 are available.

Between the lines: These treatments can be prohibitively expensive even for patients with access to them.

  • The gene therapy Zolgensma is the most expensive drug in the world, with a list price of $2.1 million.
  • There are also affordability questions surrounding CAR-T, as hospitals often aren't fully compensated for the cost of administering it.

What we're watching: There are 30 gene therapies in late-stage testing, per PwC, and the number of clinical trials has grown rapidly over the last decade.

Go deeper: The real drug pricing debate is upon us

Gene therapy