RALEIGH – Sprout Pharmaceuticals is relaunching the “little pink pill” Addyi – also known as the “female Viagra” – at half the original price.
Addyi
Sprout, which was reborn as a company after having been sold to drug giant Valeant for $1 billion, disclosed the relaunch early Monday.
The price is $400, down from $880 previously.
For uninsured people and those not covered for treatment the price is even lower – $99, according to Bloomberg news.
Whether the moves will boost sales remains unclear.
“It’s not immediately clear the extent to which the sharp price cut will boost sales or benefit consumers,” said Bloomberg’s report.
“Drugmakers often pay rebates to middlemen and higher list prices afford them the ability to pay those middlemen bigger rebates in exchange for more favorable placement on a drug plan. There isn’t much precedent for a drug company lowering prices of a relatively new brand drug, especially when not facing competition.”
Led by co-founder and former CEO Cindy Whitehead (now Eckert), she and investors regain control of Sprout and rights to Addyi from Valeant in Dec. 2017. She had sold the company to Valeant in 2015.
