Pharma major AbbVie has revealed that it will launch its ovarian cancer treatment Elahere in the United Kingdom at the same list price charged in the United States — a move that stands out in an industry where American prices are usually far higher than those in Europe.
The therapy, scientifically known as mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx, is an antibody–drug conjugate that precisely targets cancer cells, aiming to improve effectiveness while limiting damage to healthy tissue.
Discussions are already underway with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to evaluate the medicine’s cost-effectiveness and negotiate patient access in the UK. The pricing decision also comes at a time when policymakers in the U.S. have been pressing pharmaceutical companies to reduce the gap between domestic and international drug prices.
Elahere first entered the American market in late 2022 through an accelerated pathway and went on to secure full FDA approval in March 2024. The drug is authorized for women with specific types of ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancers who have undergone one to three prior lines of treatment.
Industry experts note that while AbbVie’s equal-pricing strategy may appeal to policymakers, European health systems typically negotiate drug costs directly with manufacturers, unlike the U.S. market. This could determine whether such a uniform pricing approach proves sustainable.
AbbVie’s announcement follows a similar step by Bristol Myers Squibb earlier this month, which said it intends to launch its schizophrenia medicine Cobenfy in the UK at the same list price as in the U.S., signaling a possible shift in global pricing strategies among large drugmakers.