The Russian government will revise plans for the purchase of some of the most expensive drugs for state needs this year due to the lack of funds in the state budget, according to some sources close to the federal government and local media, reports The Pharma Letter’s local correspondent.
As part of these plans, the government will probably reduce the volume of purchases of Hemlibra (emicizumab), which is produced by Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX) for patients with hemophilia.
It is planned procurements of the drug will be included in the existing state program of high-cost nosologies, the total value of which amounted to 45.1 billion roubles ($576 million) in 2019, and allowed purchases of 14 various drugs.
At present Roche remains the only manufacturer of emicizumab which is marketed under the Hemlibra brand. The company said that it will be ready to reduce the price for the drug from 6,600 roubles to 1,600 roubles per 1mg if it is included in the high-cost nosologies program.
According to Roche’s spokesman Dmitry Kozlov, the proposed price reduction will allow the Ministry of Health to save up to 4.8 billion roubles on the purchases of emicizumab in 2021.
Others expected to follow this lead
In the meantime, leading Russian analysts in the field of pharmaceutics believe global drug manufacturers will be ready to reduce the cost of their drugs in the Russian market in exchange for their inclusion in the local public procurements programs that will ensure a guaranteed demand for them in Russia.
It is expected Roche will not be the only pharmaceutical major that may consider the reduction of prices for some of its Russian range this year, in a move to participate in the local tenders, while the same plans are considered by other Western pharmaceutical companies operating in the local market.
Izvor: https://www.thepharmaletter.com/article/global-drugmakers-may-consider-cutting-prices-to-gain-inclusion-in-russian-public-procurement | 
