Pfizer’s Beqvez decision lays bare gene therapy challenges
US pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) has ended all development and commercialization activities relating to fidanacogene elaparvovec, a hemophilia B gene therapy marketed as Beqvez in the USA and Durveqtix in Europe.
The product carried a price tag of $3.5 million, and had not generated great enthusiasm in clinics, leading to post-approval predictions that it might not thrive commercially. Following launches in the USA and Europe last year, this has proven to be the case.
A Pfizer statement provided to The Pharma Letter reads: “Pfizer has made the decision to cease further development and commercialization activities with respect to Beqvez for several reasons, including the limited interest patients and their doctors have demonstrated in hemophilia gene therapies to date.”
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