German orphans flounder: Pfizer pulls Bosulif, calls for "urgent system review"
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
Pfizer has won the dubious honor of becoming the first company to withdraw from the German market a product which was deemed to have additional benefit, after failing to agree on a price for orphan cancer drug Bosulif (bosutinib). This latest withdrawal from Germany could set a worrisome precedent for future orphan drugs undergoing early benefit assessment in the country. Pfizer, among others, is calling for an "urgent review" of the procedure.