SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
One-shot cures for diseases are not great for business—more specifically, they’re bad for longterm profits—Goldman Sachs analysts noted in an April 10 report for biotech clients, first reported by CNBC.
The investment banks’ report, titled “The Genome Revolution,” asks clients the touchy question: “Is curing patients a sustainable business model?” The answer may be “no,” according to follow-up information provided.
[...] The potential to deliver “one shot cures” is one of the most attractive aspects of gene therapy, genetically engineered cell therapy, and gene editing. However, such treatments offer a very different outlook with regard to recurring revenue versus chronic therapies... While this proposition carries tremendous value for patients and society, it could represent a challenge for genome medicine developers looking for sustained cash flow.
[...] Ars reached out to Goldman Sachs, which confirmed the content of the report but declined to comment.
(Score: 2, Informative) by adun on Sunday April 15 2018, @09:22AM (1 child)
> Curing patients one-shot - even if it's a hugely expensive one-shot - can be a very sustainable business model, because people have been doing it for ages!
It's not too surprising, considering that many of these diseases are age- and/or environment-related. For every patient getting a one-shot cure, there's another one getting sick right now.
It may not be as efficient as continuously delivering overpriced drugs to two patients at the same time, but it sure as hell is sustainable.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Sunday April 15 2018, @08:30PM
Its only sustainable if carefully contrived examples posted by the GP.
Lets say the infrastructure and manufacturing (to say nothing about the development costs) costs 5 or 10 million per patient, and there's less than 100 people in the US with this disease.
Still sustainable? Keeping that facility open and technicians employed after you treat those 100, waiting for the next one to be born - Still sustainable? You've got zero income, and
people don't want to work for free for some reason.
Things to treat a broken leg, gauze, plaster, pain killers, cost next to nothing, and have multiple uses. The doctor/nurse time costs very little.
Comparing that to custom single patient drug that costs millions to produce for a one time use is a dishonest cheap-shot comparison.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.