Fig. 7: Comparison of the QALY values of different pharmaceutical therapeutics and antibiotics (Adapted from The Paradox of Antibiotics Pricing, L.E.K Consulting, with permission).
From: Current economic and regulatory challenges in developing antibiotics for Gram-negative bacteria
The figure compares the estimated cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) for various drugs across therapeutic areas. Orphan drugs like Elaprase and Soliris have the highest costs per QALY, at $910,000 and $839,000, respectively. Oncology drugs such as Avastin ($233,000) and Herceptin ($82,000) demonstrate relatively lower but significant costs. Tysabri, used for multiple sclerosis, costs $72,000 per QALY, while the hepatitis C drug Sovaldi costs $41,000. In stark contrast, novel antibiotics are valued at just $2000 per QALY, as highlighted in a red box. This comparison emphasises the undervaluation of antibiotics despite their critical role, which reflects the financial and pricing challenges that disincentivise investment in antibiotic development.
