Sweden shows the way with elusive Orkambi agreement

Where the UK has failed, Sweden showed the way on Monday with an announcement that the Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: VRTX) drug Orkambi (lumacaftor/ivacaftor) is to be reimbursed to treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) in people with two copies of the F508del mutation.

The long-term access agreement also provides a framework for the assessment and access of the US biotech company’s future CF medicines in Sweden, the sort of deal that has so far provided elusive in talks with the UK government, which has  refused Vertex’s pricing demands to date.

"In countries where Vertex remains involved in reimbursement discussions, we encourage authorities and governments to match the commitment to innovation shown in Sweden"