Katrina Barry, a 35-year-old woman from California, has been diagnosed with a rare and serious condition known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). According to the American Lung Association, PAH affects 500 to 1,000 Americans annually, predominantly women between the ages of 30 and 60.
Barry’s medical team delivered a grim prognosis, giving her just two to five years to live. However, they also offered her a glimmer of hope in the form of an experimental drug called sotatercept. Recently approved by the FDA and now being sold under the brand name Winrevair, sotatercept is a biologic drug designed to target proteins that are overproduced in PAH, ultimately aiming to improve blood vessel function.
Studies conducted by the FDA have shown that patients who take sotatercept are able to walk longer distances and experience fewer negative outcomes compared to those who received a placebo. Despite its effectiveness, Winrevair does come with some potential side effects such as nosebleeds, increased dizziness, and an increased risk of bleeding.
The wholesale price of sotatercept is $14,000 per vial, leading to an estimated annual treatment cost of $243,000. Merck, the pharmaceutical company behind Winrevair, expects the drug to be available in specialty pharmacies by the end of April. While patients initially need to receive injections in a clinic, they may eventually be able to administer the drug at home.
Sotatercept, along with another recently approved PAH drug called Opsynvi, has shown promising results in reversing symptoms of the disease. This new wave of treatments offers hope for those like Katrina Barry, who are living with this life-threatening condition.
